By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy

Panaji, April 7, 2024: Catholics in Goa say Pope has given them an “approachable pastor” who is “an epitome of faithful servant” as their new auxiliary bishop.

The Pope on April 6 appointed Father Simião Purificação Fernandes, who is the current director of the Pastoral Institute of St Pius X at Old Goa, as the auxiliary bishop of Goa and Daman.

Cardinal Filippe Neri Ferrao, archbishop of Goa and Daman, said the clergy, religious and the laity “extend our warmest felicitations” to the bishop-elect. The cardinal prayed for God’s grace to accompany his auxiliary “in all his endeavours, granting him wisdom, courage and compassion.”

The prelate also hailed the bishop-elect as “an acknowledged guiding force in the on. going Synodal journey of the Church in Goa.”

Father Joephil Dias, who did his diaconate under the bishop-elect’s guidance, finds him “the epitome of ‘faithful servant’ [who] is always dignified, courageous, jovial and kind.

The two are natives of Guirdolim, a village some 45 km southeast of Panaji, the capital of Goa state.

“He is a warm and friendly person with a deep love of God and neighbour. Whatever needs to be done for the greater good, he does — with humility, dedication and love,” Father Dias told Matters India on April 7.

Father Bolmax Pereira, Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim and assistant Professor of Botany at St Joseph Vaz College, finds the bishop-elect “a man with a heart of gold. His simplicity of heart is striking. He is approachable, and has a great pastoral concern towards those under his care,” added Goa’s climate activist priest.

Father Pereira also pointed out that the bishop-elect had introduced many new and innovative sessions as a part of the team for ongoing formation of priests in Goa.

According to a press release from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, the bishop-elect was born on December 21, 1967to late Victor Fernandes and Ana Santana Costa

He studied philosophy and theology at Patriarchal Seminary, in Rachol, Goa, and was ordained a priest on May 10 1993, for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. He obtained a License at Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and a doctorate in Biblical Theology at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, in Pune, Maharashtra.

After his ordination, Father Fernandes served as assistant of Aldona for three years. He then became the assistant in Taleigao until 1998. He was appointed in charge of pastoral care at Parish of Sao Pedro (1996-1997); parish administrator Holy Family, Marcela (2006-2013); External Professor of Scared Scripture in Patriarchal Seminary, Rachol (2005-2018); in charge of the Apostolate for Ecumenism (2006-2018).

Since 2018, has been the director of St. Pius X Pastoral Institute, the press release added.