Archbishop of Niterói
José Francisco Rezende Dias was born on April 2, 1956, in Brasópolis, in the Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the state of Minas Gerais. He attended preparatory and philosophy courses (1973–1974) at the local archdiocesan seminary and theology courses (1975–1978) at the Dehonian Institute in Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo. Later, in Rome, he obtained a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Institute of Spirituality "Teresianum" (1987–1989). He was ordained a priest on November 10, 1979, and incardinated into the clergy of the Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, where he served as parochial vicar in the parishes of Paraisópolis, Gonçalves, and Sapucaí Mirim; pastor of "Santa Rita de Cássia" in Caldas; spiritual director of the archdiocesan seminary; rector of the interdiocesan theological institute; and vicar general. On March 28, 2001, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Torri di Ammenia and Auxiliary Bishop of Pouso Alegre. He received episcopal ordination on the following June 2. On March 30, 2005, he was transferred to the Diocese of Duque de Caxias, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.