Bishop of Santos
Joaquim Giovani Mol Guimarães was born on January 6, 1960, in Ponte Nova, within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mariana, in the State of Minas Gerais. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte and obtained a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology from the Center for Higher Studies of the Society of Jesus in Belo Horizonte. He was ordained a priest on July 16, 1988, for the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco (Salesians) and was incardinated into the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte in 1992. He held the following positions: Parish Priest of São João Batista in Jaciguá (Espírito Santo) and of Santa Maria, Mãe de Deus in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais); Vicar Forane and member of the Presbyteral Council and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council; Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at various higher education institutions; Vice-Rector and subsequently Rector (2007–2022) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais; President of the Higher Council of the National Association of Catholic Education of Brazil (ANEC) (2011–2015); and member of the Pontifical Council for Culture (2015–2022). He was appointed Titular Bishop of Galtellì and Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte on February 11, 2006, receiving episcopal ordination on March 25 of that same year. Within the Brazilian Episcopal Conference, he served as President of the Episcopal Commission for Culture and Education (2011–2015) and of the Episcopal Commission for Communication (2015–2023).