Dom Teodoro Mendes Tavares, Cape Verdean and Bishop of Ponta de Pedras, Brazil, was elected as the new president of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue

Dom Teodoro Mendes Tavares, Cape Verdean and Bishop of Ponta de Pedras, Brazil, was elected as the new president of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue, at the 60th General Assembly of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB ), which took place yesterday, April 27.

After confirming the result, Dom Teodoro was asked by the first vice-president of the CNBB, Dom Jaime Spengler, if he accepts the task entrusted by the general assembly. And he replied:

“First of all, I thank you for the trust placed in me and, considering the importance of the cause of ecumenism and religious dialogue, I accept to provide this service for the conference.”

Dom Teodoro, born on January 7, 1964, on the island of Santiago, in Cape Verde, is a devout servant of God who, in 1984, at the age of twenty, joined the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, having made his religious profession in 1986.

His priestly ordination took place on June 11, 1993 and, in November 1994, he was sent as a missionary to Brazil, to work in the prelature of Tefé, in the Amazon.

The then priest Teodoro worked for 16 years in this prelature and, during this period, he performed numerous functions, always seeking to spread the message of love and union that Christ teaches us. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him, on February 16, 2011, auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Belém do Pará, and, on June 10, 2015, Pope Francis appointed him coadjutor bishop of Ponta de Pedras, in the Marajó Archipelago, no stop.

Dom Teodoro has specialist knowledge in the area of Ecumenism, and in 1995 he obtained a Masters in Ecumenism from Trinity College, Dublin, which enables him to lead this commission with wisdom and insight.

In addition, he was a reference bishop for Ecumenism in the North 2 region, professor of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, in addition to being responsible for the Ecumenical Pastoral Care of the Archdiocese of Belém and the Pastoral Care of the Riverside Communities.

May God bless and enlighten Dom Teodoro in his new mission as president of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, following the example of Christ.