Bissau, 29 January, 2026 / 8:56 pm (ACI Africa).
Bishop Settimio Arturo Ferrazzetta, the pioneer Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bissau in Guinea-Bissau, has been remembered as a model of pastoral leadership rooted in service, proximity to the people, and fidelity to the Gospel.
In his homily during Holy Mass marking the 27th Anniversary of Bishop Settimio Arturo Ferrazzetta Interdiocesan Major Seminary in the Bissau-Guinean Episcopal See, the Local Ordinary of Bafatá Diocese described Bishop Ferrazzetta as a pastor who “lived with simplicity, courage and fidelity to the Gospel.”
“The true pastor does not flee from difficulties, does not place himself above the people, but walks with them, shares their joys and sufferings, and gives his life with discretion and firmness,” Bishop Víctor Luís Quematcha said during the January 27 Eucharistic celebration that also marked the 27th anniversary of Bishop Ferrazzetta’s demise.
He recalled that Bishop Ferrazzetta was a Bishop who “loved his people without reservation and profoundly marked the history of our country and the local Church.”
The Bissau-Guinean member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap.) said the life and ministry of Bishop Ferrazzetta remain a constant call to Seminarians, describing him as “a living example of a Priesthood rooted in service, coherence, and closeness.”
