Bishop of Caicó
Antônio Ranis Rosendo dos Santos, C.Ss.R., was born on September 3, 1973, in Porto da Folha, in the Diocese of Propriá, in the State of Sergipe. He studied Philosophy at the Catholic University of Pernambuco (*Universidade Católica de Pernambuco*), Theology at the Pastoral Theological Institute of Ceará (*Instituto Teológico Pastoral do Ceará*), and Canon Law at the Higher Institute of Canon Law of Rio de Janeiro (*Instituto Superior de Direito Canônico do Rio de Janeiro*). He made his religious profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 2002 and was ordained a priest on June 16, 2006. He has held the following positions: Parochial Vicar (2006) and Parish Priest (2015–2018) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (*Sagrado Coração de Jesus*) in the Archdiocese of Natal-RN; Parochial Vicar of the Most Holy Redeemer (*Santíssimo Redentor*) and Formator for the Aspirancy in Arapiraca, in the Diocese of Penedo-AL (2007–2010); Superior (Vice-Provincial) of the Vice-Province of Recife-PE (2011–2014); Vicar for Religious Life in the Archdiocese of Natal-RN (2016–2018); Parish Priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (*Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro*) in the Diocese of Caruaru-PE (2019–2020); and Formator for the Juniorate in Goiânia-GO (2020–2021). Since 2022, he has served as Parish Priest of the Most Holy Redeemer in Arapiraca-AL and as a member of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Penedo. Born on September 3, 1973, in the municipality of Porto da Folha (SE), Father Antônio Ranis Rosendo dos Santos is the son of Raimundo Rosendo dos Santos and Maria Lúcia Rezende. On January 24, 1994, he began his formation process in the aspirancy of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in Garanhuns (PE). In 1997, he moved to the postulantate in Recife (PE) to study Philosophy at the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Unicap). In 2001, he completed his novitiate in the city of Tietê (SP). His religious profession took place on February 2, 2002, at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro) in Recife. In 2002, Antônio was transferred to Fortaleza (CE) to begin his theology studies at the Theological-Pastoral Institute of Ceará (ITEP). He was ordained a deacon on December 8, 2005, and a priest on June 16, 2006. During his priestly ministry, he served as parochial vicar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Natal (RN) from 2006 to 2007; as formator for the Redemptorist aspirants in Arapiraca (AL) from 2008 to 2010; and as a councilor for the Redemptorist Vice-Province of Recife. On November 10, 2010, he was elected Provincial Superior of the Vice-Province of Recife, a role he held for the 2011–2014 term. After his term ended, he was transferred to Natal, where he served as pastor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in the Morro Branco neighborhood. In 2015, he was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Religious Life by the then-Archbishop, Dom Jaime Vieira Rocha. During this period, he pursued postgraduate studies in spirituality at the Salesian University Center of São Paulo (UNISAL). On February 19, 2019, he was appointed pastor of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Sanctuary Parish in Campina Grande (PB). In 2020, he was transferred to Goiânia (GO) with the mission of serving as formator for religious students of theology and as parochial vicar of the Our Lady of the Abbey (Nossa Senhora da Abadia) parish in Abadia de Goiás. In 2021, he served as formator and parochial vicar at the Divine Eternal Father (Divino Pai Eterno) parish in Trindade (GO). In July 2022, he was transferred to Arapiraca (AL) to serve as pastor of the Most Holy Redeemer (Santíssimo Redentor) parish. He is currently the formator for the aspirantate and the superior of the religious community, while pursuing a master's degree in Canon Law at the Higher Institute of Canon Law of Rio de Janeiro (Goiânia extension).