Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Nélio Pereira Pita, C.M., currently General Assistant of the Congregation of the Mission, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Braga (Portugal) and titular bishop of Garba. His episcopal ordination will be held on July 27 at the Cathedral of Braga.

Bishop-elect Pita was born on October 11, 1973, in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, Madeira Island. He entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1994, professed perpetual vows in 1999, and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds degrees in Theology and Spiritual Theology (Lisbon and Madrid) and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology, with additional specialization in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.

Throughout his ministry, he has served as formator, parish priest, Provincial Visitor, and, since 2022, as General Assistant of the Vincentians in Rome. He is also a certified member of the Portuguese Psychologists Association.

In his statement following the appointment, Bishop-elect Pita shared:

“With fear and trembling, I accepted this new mission entrusted to me by the Church. From the very beginning, I want to embrace this service with total trust in God.”

He also revealed his episcopal motto: Ut vitam habeant (Jn 10:10) – “That they may have life,” emphasizing:

“The Good News of Jesus Christ is an offer of fullness of life for all, without exception. […] It is worth giving our life for this cause.”

Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, C.M., Superior General of the Congregation, praised the appointment, stating:

“Pope Leo XIV has seen in him a shepherd after Christ’s own heart: a man of deep faith, active charity, and true missionary spirit. […] His life will continue to be a permanent mission.”

The Archdiocese of Braga, one of the oldest in Europe, rejoices in this new bishop, who will serve alongside Archbishop José Cordeiro and Auxiliary Bishop Delfim Gomes in a diocese with more than 850,000 faithful and a rich history of faith and evangelization.