Bishop of Barreiras
A native of Itapecerica, Minas Gerais, Dom Moacir Silva Arantes was born on June 3, 1969, the son of Bento Alves Arantes and Irene Pinto de Araújo, and the thirteenth of fifteen siblings. He completed his studies in philosophy and theology in Belo Horizonte (MG) and was ordained a priest on August 14, 1999. He served as a parish priest and parish administrator in six municipalities within the Diocese of Divinópolis (MG), as well as rector of the diocesan seminaries, a member of the presbyteral council, and coordinator of the diocese's Vocations and Ministries Pastoral. Within the East 2 Region (comprising Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais), he served as the ecclesiastical advisor for the Family Pastoral and, subsequently, as the national advisor for the Episcopal Pastoral Commission for Life and Family of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB). Dom Moacir was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Goiânia by Pope Francis on May 11, 2016, and was ordained at the Saint Benedict (São Bento) parish church in his hometown of Itapecerica (MG) on August 13 of that same year; the ordination was performed through the laying on of hands by the Bishop Emeritus of Divinópolis, Dom José Belvino do Nascimento, alongside co-ordaining bishops Dom José Carlos de Souza Campos (Bishop of Divinópolis) and Dom Washington Cruz (Archbishop of Goiânia). He took office on August 26, 2016, at the Cathedral of Our Lady Help of Christians (Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora) in Goiânia. His episcopal motto is *In Simplicitate Cordis* ("With simplicity of heart"). The bishop is a member of the current leadership team of the CNBB's Central-West Region—serving a term that runs until 2023—where he holds the position of secretary.