Bishop of Bragança do Pará
Raimundo Possidônio Carrera da Mata is Bishop of Bragança do Pará, Brazil. He was born on 31 March 1954 in the district of Icoaracia, in Belém do Pará. He completed his basic studies, primary and gymnasium, in his native city, concluding them at São Pio X Seminary, the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Belém, where he entered in 1968. He studied the classical course at Santíssimo Redentor Redemptorist Seminary (1970-1972). He studied philosophy and theology at the Regional Pastoral Institute (IPAR) from 1973 to 1978. He was ordained deacon on 7 June 1976. In that period he served as assistant for formation at São Pio X Seminary. His priestly ordination occurred on 24 June 1978. He has a specialization in Church History in Latin America from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (1982), a master's degree in Ecclesiastical History from the Gregorian University in Rome (1987), and began a doctorate, not yet concluded, in Church History (2000). In 1982 he taught at the Regional Pastoral Institute (IPAR) Norte 2 and later at Nossa Senhora da Conceição major seminary of the Archdiocese of Belém, teaching Church History of Brazil, Latin America and the world, Church History in Amazonia, History of Religions, and Ecumenism. He advises various courses in religiosity, popular Catholicism, and catechesis. He was adviser to diocesan assemblies of Regional Norte II and vice-director of IPAR. From 1994 to 1999 he was director of Nossa Senhora da Conceição major seminary. He also served as master of ceremonies of the Archdiocese of Belém from 1989 to 2009. From April 2009 to March 2010 he was diocesan administrator of the Archdiocese of Belém. He received the official title of monsignor in 2010. Since 2004 he has been vicar general of the Archdiocese of Belém, where he also served from 2004 until February 2020 as pastoral coordinator. He served as pastor in several parishes of the archdiocese: Santo Antônio do Coqueiro (1980/85), Nossa Senhora de Fátima Parish in Icoaraci (1987/88), first pastor of Nossa Senhora Rainha da Paz Parish (1988/92), and first pastor of Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Outeiro e Ilhas Adjacentes Parish (1994/1999). He was parish administrator of Sant'Ana (2000/2001), returned to administer Conceição Parish in Outeiro (2001/2002), was pastor of São João Batista and Nossa Senhora das Graças Parish (2002/2011), and of Nossa Senhora de Fátima from 2011 until 14 February 2020. He participated as adviser in various interregional meetings of the Church in Amazonia: Manaus, 1997; Manaus, 2007; Santarém, 2012; I Meeting of the Church in Legal Amazonia, 2012; II Meeting of the Catholic Church in Legal Amazonia, 2016; and III Meeting of the Bishops in Legal Amazonia, 2018. He collaborated with the Episcopal Commission for Amazonia (CEA) of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBBB). He participated in the organizing commission of the Mutirão for the Church in Amazonia, Brasília, 2005, and in the creation of the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (Repam, 2014). He participated in the CNBB commission that prepared the Guidelines for the Formation of Priests of the Church in Brazil in 2019. He also participated in the process of the Synod for Amazonia, including preparatory meetings and assemblies, preparation of the Instrumentum Laboris, and, during the Synod in Rome, preparation of the Final Document.