After 27 years, Dom Joaquín Pertíñez leaves command of the Diocese of Rio Branco

Dom Joaquín Pertiñez, bishop of the Diocese of Rio Branco, leaves command of the Catholic Church Personal archive Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Dom Joaquín Pertíñez Fernández from the pastoral government of the Diocese of Rio Branco. The announcement was made this Wednesday (1st) by the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), through the Apostolic Nunciature in Brazil, ending 27 years of the religious leader of the Catholic Church in the capital of Acre. In the same decision, the pontiff appointed Dom Antônio Fontinele de Melo, current bishop of the Diocese of Humaitá (AM), as apostolic administrator of Rio Branco, responsible for leading the diocese until the appointment and installation of a new titular bishop. (See the profile below) ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp Dom Joaquín leaves office after turning 73 years old and having worked in Acre for more than two and a half decades, where he became one of the main religious leaders in the state. In an official note, the Presidency of the CNBB thanked the work carried out by the religious man throughout his episcopate. Bishop Dom Joaquín Pertiñez, of the Diocese of Rio Branco, highlights the legacy of Pope Francis "We know that his career was marked by closeness to the people, commitment to evangelization, the promotion of human dignity and the formation of communities, leaving a legacy of simplicity, pastoral zeal and love for the Church, in line with the motto he chose for his episcopate: 'To love more'", added the note signed by the president of the CNBB, Cardinal Jaime Spengler, and the other members of the entity's presidency. READ ALSO: After a complaint, the Diocese of Rio Branco receives R$3 million and says that the debt affects hospital services 'We hope he will be a bridge builder', says bishop of the Diocese of Rio Branco after Leo XIV's choice In a statement released this Wednesday (1st), the Diocese of Rio Branco defined the farewell as the end of 'a journey marked by delivery'. "The Church in Acre, the riverside people, the people of the forest and all those who witnessed his donation revere the legacy of a man who crossed the world to become, forever, a son of the Amazon lands", said the religious institution. The diocese also announced a press conference for this Thursday (2), at 9 am, in the Parish Hall of Our Lady of Nazaré Cathedral, in Rio Branco, which should be attended by Dom Joaquín and the diocesan clergy to present details of the administrative transition. Diocese of Rio Branco, Dom Joaquín, talks about the choice of Pope Leo priesthood were dedicated to the training of seminarians in Spain. At the same time, he deepened his studies in Psychopedagogy, in Madrid, and in Plastic Expression at the National University of Distance Education (UNED). In 1988, he was sent as a missionary to the Prelacy of Lábrea, in Amazonas, beginning a definitive journey in the Brazilian Amazon. His stay in Lábrea was interrupted in 1998, when he took on religious duties in Costa Rica. A few months later, on February 24, 1999, he was chosen by the then Pope Saint John Paul II to take over the Diocese of Rio Branco. The episcopal ordination took place on May 30 of that year, in the capital of Acre, presided over by Dom Moacyr Grechi. Dom Antônio Fontinele de Melo Reproduction/Instagram Who is Dom Antônio Fontinele de Melo Born in Camocim, Ceará, Dom Antônio Fontinele de Melo is 58 years old and has been bishop of the Diocese of Humaitá (AM) since 2020, after being appointed by Pope Francis. A priest since 1999, he built his career in the Archdiocese of Porto Velho (RO), where he worked for more than two decades in pastoral, training and management roles. Graduated in Philosophy and bachelor in Theology, he also has specializations in Higher Education Methodology and Sacred Scriptures. Throughout his career, he was parish priest of the São Cristóvão Parish and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, rector of the Casa Vocacional Dom Hélder Câmara, pastoral coordinator and professor at the São João XXIII Seminary, in Porto Velho. Within the scope of the CNBB, he worked in the Northwest Region, which brings together Acre, Rondônia and southern Amazonas, coordinating the Regional Commission of Priests and advising the Base Ecclesiastical Communities. In addition to his religious activities, Dom Antônio is also recognized as a teacher and poet. VIDEOS: g1