Bishop Geraldo Freire Soares

Dom Geraldo Freire Soares, C.SS.R., was born on January 6, 1967, in Sertânia, in the Diocese of Pesqueira, in the state of Pernambuco. He studied Philosophy at the Salesian Institute of Philosophy in Recife, Pernambuco, and Theology at the São Paulo Institute of Higher Studies (ITESP) in São Paulo. He made his religious profession on February 11, 1996, in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and was ordained a priest on July 1, 2000. In the same place where he had been ordained a priest 23 years earlier, Dom Geraldo was ordained a bishop under the episcopal motto "Our Daily Bread." The solemn Eucharistic celebration of ordination featured Dom Bernardino Marchió, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Caruaru (PE), as the principal ordaining bishop, and Dom José Luiz Ferreira Sales, C.Ss.R., Bishop of the Diocese of Pesqueira (PE), and Dom Francisco de Assis Gabriel dos Santos, C.Ss.R., Bishop of the Diocese of Campo Maior (PI), as co-ordaining bishops. His diaconal ordination took place on April 7, 2000, at the parish church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Garanhuns, presided over by the then-Bishop of Garanhuns, Dom Irineu Scherer. On August 1, at St. Joseph Parish in Cruzeiro do Nordeste—where his parents currently reside—Dom Geraldo was ordained a priest by the hands of the then-Bishop of Pesqueira, Dom Bernardino Marchió. Within the Redemptorist Vice-Province of Recife, he served as a formator in Campina Grande (Paraíba) and Arapiraca (Alagoas), and as treasurer and superior for three terms. Additionally, he served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Campina Grande and as pastor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), within that Metropolitan Archdiocese, where he also served as episcopal vicar for Religious. Prior to his ordination as a bishop, he was an assistant pastor and formator in Arapiraca, in the Diocese of Penedo, in the state of Alagoas. Dom Geraldo Freire Soares will succeed Dom Edson de Castro Homem, whose resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on February 24, 2021. Born on January 6, 1967, in the city of Sertânia (Pernambuco), in the Diocese of Pesqueira, Father Geraldo Freire Soares is the son of José Generoso Freire and Judite Freire Soares. He is the third of ten siblings. After completing his secondary education, he took a technical course in accounting and subsequently earned a degree in Mathematics. After finishing his higher education in 1991, he decided to participate in vocational meetings held by the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). He had harbored this desire since the end of his secondary schooling, but it only came to fruition in 1992 (with postulancy in 1984). On February 5, 1993, guided by his parish priest—the Dutch Redemptorist missionary Father Estevão Kuijpers—he began his formation journey in the aspirancy program in Garanhuns (Pernambuco). The following year, he moved to the postulancy in Recife (Pernambuco), where he took supplementary philosophy courses at the Salesian Institute (INSAF). In 1995, he completed his novitiate in the city of Tietê (São Paulo). He made his first religious profession on February 11, 1996, at the Parish Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Garanhuns. He began his theology studies at the Franciscan Institute of Theology (IFTO) in Olinda (Pernambuco). In 1997, he was transferred to the Province of São Paulo to continue his studies at the São Paulo Theological Institute (ITESP). On February 11, 1999, at the Parish Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Madalena neighborhood of Recife, he made his perpetual profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. After completing his studies in São Paulo, he returned to the Vice-Province in 2000, residing in the Campina Grande (Paraíba) community. In his priestly ministry, he served in Campina Grande (Paraíba); He served as bursar of the Vice-Province of Recife, provincial councilor from 2002 to 2004, and rector of the Redemptorist Aspirancy between 2003 and 2004. On November 20, 2004, he was elected provincial superior of the Vice-Province of Recife and was re-elected in 2007. Upon completing his term, he was transferred in 2011 to Arapiraca, with the mission of serving as rector of the Redemptorist Aspirancy and coordinator of the Christ the Redeemer Pastoral Area. On February 8, 2013, he took office as parish administrator of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the Archdiocese of Natal (RN). In 2014, he was appointed by the Archbishop of Natal, Dom Jaime Vieira Rocha, as episcopal vicar for Religious Life. In November 2014, he was elected provincial superior of the Vice-Province of Recife for the third time. In October 2018, he was appointed by the Archbishop of Aracaju (SE), Dom João Costa, as parish administrator of the Our Lady of Aparecida Parish. In February 2019, he took office as parish priest of the Most Holy Redeemer Parish in the Diocese of Penedo, in Arapiraca (AL)—a role he held until his appointment as Bishop of the Diocese of Iguatu—alongside his role as superior of the Redemptorist religious and formation community in Arapiraca. He is also a member of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Penedo. Geraldo Freire Soares, C.SS.R., was born on January 6, 1967, in Sertânia, in the Diocese of Pesqueira (Pernambuco). He studied philosophy at the Salesian Institute of Philosophy in Recife (Pernambuco) and theology at the São Paulo Institute of Higher Studies (ITESP) in São Paulo. He made his religious profession on February 11, 1996, in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and was ordained a priest on July 1, 2000. Within the Redemptorist Vice-Province of Recife, he served as a formator in Campina Grande (Paraíba) and Arapiraca (Alagoas), and as bursar and superior for three terms. Furthermore, he served as Parochial Vicar of Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro in Campina Grande and as Parish Priest of Sagrado Coração de Jesus in Natal (Rio Grande do Norte)—within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of the same name—where he also served as Episcopal Vicar for Religious. Most recently, he has been an Assistant Parish Priest and formator in Arapiraca, in the Diocese of Penedo (Alagoas). He was appointed Bishop of Iguatu on May 4, 2022.