Pope Leo XIV Appoints Apostolic Administrators for Beira and Quelimane Dioceses Following Death of Bishop Osório

In a statement read during the Funeral Mass of Bishop Osório on Friday, June 12 at Our Lady of Deliverance Cathedral of Quelimane Diocese, the Apostolic Nuncio in Mozambique, Archbishop Luis-Miguel Muñoz Cárdaba announced appointment of Bishop António Manuel Bogaio Constantino [in the photo above, on the right] of Caia Catholic Diocese as the Apostolic Administrator of Beira Archdiocese.

Archbishop Cárdaba also announced the appointment of Bishop Estêvão Ângelo Fernando [in the photo above, on the left] of Mozambique’s Catholic Diocese of Alto Molócuè as Apostolic Administrator of Quelimane Diocese. “We wish them a fruitful apostolate and promise to accompany them with our prayers,” he added.

Bishop António Manuel Bogaio Constantino

The member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), was born on 9 November 1969 in Beira Catholic Archdiocese. He started his Religious and Missionary formation with the Comboni Missionaries in Nampula Catholic Archdiocese and enrolled for philosophy at St. Augustine’s in Matola. He completed his Novitiate with the Comboni Missionaries in Uganda and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Rome-based Pontifical Gregorian University. Ordained a Priest in June 2001 in Beira Archdiocese, Bishop António was sent for further studies in journalism and obtained a licentiate in integral communication from the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria in Spain.

As a Comboni Priest, he served as Director of the Vida Nova journal of the Catechetic Centre of Anchilo, Parish Priest, Diocesan official for catechesis and Deputy Director of the Secretariat for Pastoral Care of the Diocese of Tete. He also served as Provincial Superior of the Comboni Missionaries in Mozambique from 2017 to 2022 and as president of the Conference of Religious in Mozambique (CIRMO) from 2019 to 2022.

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Beira Archdiocese on 13 December 2022, and assigned the Titular See of Sutunurca. He was Consecrated Bishop on 19 February 2023. In December 2025, he was appointed Local Ordinary of the newly erected Diocese of Caia.

Bishop Estêvão Ângelo Fernando

Born in June 1974 in Inhassunge within the Diocese of Quelimane, Bishop Fernando started his Priestly formation at the Propedeutic Seminary of St. Augustine in Quelimane, and was ordained a Priest on 24 June 2001. He pursued his Philosophical and Theological studies at the Seminary of St. Augustine in Matola, and the Seminary of St. Pius X in Maputo respectively.

The holder of Licentiate in Pastoral Theology from the Theological Faculty of Triveneto in Padua has served in various capacities including Parochial Vicar and later Pastor of Mocuba and member of the Southern Africa Commission for Refugees. He has also served as Spiritual Director of the Xaverian Apostolic Movement, Rector of the Propedeutic Seminary of St. Augustine in Quelimane and President of the Communication Commission in Quelimane.

The alumni of the Rome based Pontifical Lateran University where he obtained Doctorate in Pastoral Theology has also served as Formator at the Philosophical Seminary of St. Augustine in Matola. Outside the country, he served as Assistant Pastor at Santa Maria Maggiore Parish in Cordenons, Diocese of Concordia-Pordenonea and Assistant Pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Pordenone, Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone in Italy. In January 2025, he was appointed Bishop of the new Diocese of Alto Molócuè.

On Saturday, June 13, Bishop Osório’s body will be transferred to the Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral of Nampula Archdiocese, the church where he was baptized, confirmed, and ordained a Priest.  A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. and will be presided over by Archbishop Inácio Saure. After the Eucharistic celebration, the late Bishop will be laid to rest at the Clergy cemetery of the Archdiocese of Nampula, located next to the Mater Apostolorum Propaedeutic Seminary in Nampaco.

Jude Atemanke – ACI Africa