The Mozambican Catholic Church leader who started his Episcopal Ministry in July 2011 when he was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo Archdiocese called for spiritual solidarity as he undertakes his new assignment as Archbishop-elect, with a right of succession.
“I want to ask everyone who rejoices in this moment, also in this reality... to pray, and I count on everyone's support, above all in advice, in whatever it may be, so that the mission may take place and contribute to the greater glory of the Lord,” said Bishop Nunes who, since 2017, has been serving as the Local Ordinary of Mozambique’s Chimoio Diocese.
Born in March 1968, the Coadjutor Archbishop-elect was ordained a Priest for Maputo Archdiocese in July 1995 after completing his philosophical and theological studies at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Maputo.
He began his Episcopal Ministry in July 2011 when he was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo Archdiocese and
The Catholic Church leader who was assigned the Titular See of Amudarsa when he was ordained Bishop in July 2011 was, in January 2012, appointed Apostolic Administrator of Beira Archdiocese following the retirement of Archbishop Jaime Pedro Gonçalves.
He was temporarily in charge of the Mozambican Metropolitan Ecclesiastical See until October 2012, when Archbishop Claudio Dalla Zuanna, the member of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart who had been appointed as the Local Ordinary of Beira Archdiocese in June of the same year was Consecrated.
Catholic Bishops in Mozambique have sent goodwill messages to the 54-year-old Catholic Church leader following his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Maputo Archdiocese.
“I congratulate you Bishop João Carlos on your appointment as the current Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Maputo,” Bishop Alberto Vera Aréjula of the Catholic Diocese of Nacala shared his congratulation message with ACI Africa correspondent in Mozambique.
Bishop Aréjula also expressed gratitude to Archbishop Francisco Chimoio who has been at the helm of Maputo Archdiocese since February 2003 when he was Consecrated “for these long years of work in this Archdiocese. I think it is 20 years of work with commitment and dedication, with much faith in this church that we need strength.”
On his part, Bishop António Juliasse, the Local Ordinary of the Diocese of Pemba who previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo Archdiocese thanked Pope Francis “for being very attentive to the Church of Mozambique.”
