Bishop Wilson Luís Angotti Filho

Wilson Luís Angotti Filho is Bishop of Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil. Wilson Luís Angotti Filho was born in Taquaritinga on 5 April 1958, the son of Iracy Fernandes Angotti, a teacher, and Wilson Luís Angotti, a lawyer and bank employee. He was the couple's first child and has five other siblings. He was baptized in the Mother Church of São Sebastião and in that same church was ordained a priest on 19 December 1982 by the imposition of hands of Bishop Luiz Eugênio Peres. Bishop Wilson studied philosophy at the Diocesan Seminary of São Carlos and theology at the seminary of Ribeirão Preto. He also studied at the Pontifical Faculty Nossa Senhora da Assunção in São Paulo and completed a master's degree in Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, remaining there a little more than 2 years. He was parochial vicar in the parishes of São João Batista and Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Bebedouro, São Paulo, and diocesan coordinator of Vocational Ministry. He served on the seminary formation teams, the Presbyteral Council, and the College of Consultors. He was professor at the Study Center of the Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto, at the Nossa Senhora do Carmo Institute of Theology in Jaboticabal, and at the Higher Institute of Theology of the Archdiocese of Brasília. He was also diocesan adviser for Catechesis, diocesan pastoral coordinator, and parish priest of São Judas Tadeu Parish in Jaboticabal. Between 2007 and the beginning of 2011 Bishop Wilson was adviser to the Episcopal Pastoral Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), and he also belonged to the National Pastoral Institute (INP) and the Editorial Council of Edições CNBB. At the time of the source biography he was a member of the CNBB Episcopal Pastoral Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith. Bishop Wilson was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte by Pope Benedict XVI on 4 May 2011 and received episcopal ordination on 1 July of the same year. On 26 October 2012 he received from the Government of Minas the Santos Dumont Medal, considered the second most important decoration among those offered by the state to people who in some way had rendered important services to society. As Bishop Wilson was the bishop referent of the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Episcopal Region, which covered nine municipalities of the metropolitan region, he was responsible for coordinating, accompanying, and guiding evangelizing and pastoral action, as well as the functioning and infrastructure of the regional curia. He remained in permanent contact with priests, religious, and the community of the faithful for listening, guidance, and evaluation. He also presided over the regional pastoral, presbyteral, forania pastoral, parish pastoral, parish administration, and community pastoral councils in the episcopal region. There he also presided over the articulation of the Center for Sociopolitical Studies in the cities of the region and accompanied the pastoral work of PUC Minas units, Colégio Santa Maria, and other linked entities present in that episcopal region. He discussed and defined provisions and transfers with the competent authorities. He also had pastoral responsibility for the Vila Fátima Evangelization Center in Ribeirão das Neves, with its important work of proclaiming the Gospel and supporting people in situations of social risk. He participated in the construction process of the Cristo Rei Cathedral and accompanied administrative, financial, and works processes and projects of the Department of Projects, Construction, and Maintenance. He also guided the work of the General Secretariat of Administrative Relations, the General Secretariat of Ecclesial Relations, and the Chancery, the Presidency Management Committee and linked entities, and actively belonged to the Archdiocesan Council for the Faça Parte Campaign, an important instrument of evangelization of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte. As auxiliary bishop of Belo Horizonte, Bishop Wilson came, according to the latest report cited in the source, from a metropolitan region comprising 81 parishes, 477 communities, 48 religious houses, and 1.600.000,00 inhabitants. On 15 April 2015 he was appointed by the Holy Father Pope Francis as 7th diocesan bishop of Taubaté. His episcopal coat of arms is characterized by a green hat with twelve hanging tassels. Below is the golden pastoral cross and over it the shield with the elements that identify each bishop. This shield has a blue background overlaid by a golden cross, which divides it into four fields. In the upper left field is the fleur-de-lis and, in the lower field, a lily of the field. On the right, passing through and uniting the two fields, are twelve flames that start at the top and reach the bottom. At the center of the cross a heart stands out. Below the shield, a silver scroll bears the inscription "Cor Unum" ("One heart"). The hat symbolizes Jesus Christ, head of the Church, and his twelve apostles. The golden pastoral cross recalls that the bishop's ministry is in reference to and continuity with the pastoral ministry of Christ. The shield's blue background evokes the infinite and God himself. In the upper left field, the fleur-de-lis refers to Our Lady, who under the respective titles of Carmel and Boa Viagem is patroness of the diocesan Church of Jaboticabal, from which the new bishop comes, and also of the metropolitan Church of Belo Horizonte, where he began his episcopal mission. The lily in the lower left field recalls Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family and patron of the whole Church. At the center of the coat of arms, the heart refers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on whose liturgical solemnity the episcopal ordination took place. It is also a reference to the pastoral charity that should characterize the bishop in the exercise of his pastoral ministry. The golden cross that passes through the whole coat of arms symbolizes the glorious throne of Christ and the redemption that he made possible through his death and resurrection. The proclamation of the salvation accomplished by Christ must reach everyone, and the cross, indicating the four cardinal points, recalls the universality of the Church's mission. The twelve flames arranged from top to bottom on the coat of arms recall that strength comes from above. They symbolize the twelve apostles, whose successors the bishops are. Intimately united to Christ and animated by the Holy Spirit, they are sent by Christ himself as continuers of his mission. The silver scroll bears the Latin inscription "Cor Unum", the motto assumed by the new bishop. This biblical expression is taken from Acts of the Apostles 4:32. It is an affectionate reference by Bishop Wilson to Taquaritinga, São Paulo, his native city, which displays the same expression in its coat of arms and hymn. It was chosen by Canon Lourenço Cavallini, the former local parish priest, who baptized him who is the first priest and first bishop ordained in the city. The whole composition expresses the idea of the Church in communion. From the paschal mystery of Christ is born the Church that he desired and prepared. The Church of Christ was manifested to the world on the day of Pentecost and has the twelve Apostles as its foundation. All members of the Church, both those who journey in this world and those who are already in glory, united with Our Lady and Saint Joseph, constitute with Christ one heart.