Bishop of Balsas
Valentim Fagundes Meneses, M.S.C., was born on July 22, 1953, in Agualva, on the island of the Azores, in the Diocese of Angra (Portugal). He completed his philosophy studies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas and his theology studies at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology *Nossa Senhora da Assunção* in São Paulo. He made his religious profession in the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on February 2, 1979, and was ordained a priest on July 2, 1982. During his ministry, he held the following positions: Parochial Vicar (1983–1985) and subsequently Parish Priest (1986–1988) of *Pai Eterno* and *São José* in the *Cidade de Deus* neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro (RJ); Parish Priest in El Salvador (1989–1991); Parish Priest of *Imaculada Conceição* in Nova Iguaçu (RJ) (1992–1996); Parish Priest of *Nossa Senhora das Dores* in Floresta do Araguaia (PA) (1997–2001); Parish Priest of *Buen Pastor de Turubamba* in Quito, Ecuador (2002–2007); Parochial Vicar of *Nossa Senhora do Sagrado Coração* in Contagem (MG) (2008); Parish Priest of *Nossa Senhora da Ajuda* in Monte Formoso (MG) (2009–2011); and Parish Priest of *Nossa Senhora do Sagrado Coração* in Praça Seca (RJ) (2012–2014). Within his Congregation, he served as formator for philosophy students in Belford Roxo (RJ) (1992–1996) and at the minor seminary in Santíssima Conceição do Araguaia (PA) (1997–2001), as well as Vice-Provincial (2012–2014) and subsequently Provincial (2014–2020) of the Province of Rio de Janeiro. Furthermore, he served as an advisor to the Conference of Religious of Brazil in Brasília (DF) (1984–1988) and as a professor of pastoral theology at the *Paulo VI* Philosophical and Theological Institute in Nova Iguaçu (RJ) (1992–1996). He is currently the Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart for the Province of Rio de Janeiro, based in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.