Bishop of Estância
Father José Genivaldo Garcia is a native of the city of Cumbe (SE), born on August 24, 1968. At four months of age, he moved with his family to São Miguel do Aleixo (SE). He was ordained a priest on January 8, 1994. He has exercised his priestly ministry as pastor at the following parishes: São Francisco de Assis (Santos Dumont neighborhood, Aracaju); São Marcos Evangelista (Marcos Freire I housing complex, Nossa Senhora do Socorro); and Jesus Ressuscitado (Jardins neighborhood, Aracaju). Since January 18, 2018, he has served as pastor of the Bom Jesus dos Navegantes parish in the Atalaia neighborhood of Aracaju. He is a member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, as well as the Episcopal Vicar for the São Mateus Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Aracaju. He completed his secondary education at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Minor Seminary (Seminário Menor Sagrado Coração de Jesus) in Aracaju from 1984 to 1986. He earned a degree in Philosophy from UNISAL in Lorena (SP) between 1987 and 1989. He holds a degree in Theology from the Our Lady of Fatima Major Seminary (Seminário Maior Nossa Senhora Fátima) in Brasília (DF) (1990–1993) and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Catholic College of Anápolis (GO). He holds *Lato Sensu* postgraduate qualifications in Higher Education Didactics and Methodology from São Luís de França College (2010), Ethics and Philosophy from the Catholic College of Anápolis (GO) (2014), and Religious Studies from the Planalto Central College (FAPLAC) in Formosa (GO) (2018). He served as Academic Director of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Minor Seminary. He also served as Vice-Rector, Spiritual Director, and Academic Director—for over twenty years—at the Our Lady of the Conception Major Seminary (Seminário Maior Nossa Senhora da Conceição), where he currently teaches History of Philosophy and Homiletics.