Bishop Odair Miguel Gonsalves dos Santos is ordained bishop in Irati (PR)

Odair Miguel Gonsalves dos Santos was ordained bishop in the parish of São Miguel Arcanjo, in the municipality of Irati (PR), diocese of Ponta Grossa, last Friday evening, 8 December, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The ordaining bishops were the Archbishop of Porto Alegre, Monsignor Jaime Spengler, the Bishop of the Diocese of Caraguatatuba (SP), Monsignor José Carlos Chacorowski, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Ponta Grossa (PR), Monsignor Sergio Arthur Braschi.

The celebration was well attended by bishops from Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, as well as priests from the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre, the Diocese of Ponta Grossa and Vincentian religious. More than 2,000 people attended the ordination, which was broadcast live on TV Evangelizar, on the social networks of Irati City Hall and was followed by various media outlets in the region.

Archbishop Jaime Spengler’s homily

In his homily, the Archbishop of Porto Alegre, Monsignor Jaime Spengler, addressed his fellow bishops, recalling the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. “On this day, we remember the marvellous things that God has done and continues to do in us, for us and among us. In the encounter with the Angel, Mary is called the one full of grace, the blessed one, the chosen one. Mary is the living proclamation of divine grace. Today, we invoke the grace of the Holy Spirit on this brother of ours, called to the episcopate. That young woman from Nazareth entrusted herself to the Word. She listened and welcomed, and in her the Word became flesh. Mary did it in a simple way, more with testimony than with speeches. The bishop, with the support of grace, is called to grow more and more on the path of holiness, through the exercise of the Ministry, in listening to the Word, in teaching the Word, in the lifestyle, in the way of life of the bishop must manifest the walk with the Lord.”

Bishop Odair’s message

In his message of thanks, Bishop Odair Miguel recalled St Vincent de Paul, founder of the Congregation of the Mission. “As baptised people, we must care for our neighbour as ourselves,” he said. “I always count on everyone’s prayers in the face of the challenge that sanctifying, governing and teaching the people demands. To make Christ the centre of every Christian’s life. May every heart beat for the Lord, making our hearts more alive and ardent. We celebrate the Immaculate Conception on this day. Many priests and deacons have been ordained on this day, just as I chose it as the date for my episcopal ordination. On 31 August [when he received the phone call from the Apostolic Nunciature informing him of his appointment as auxiliary bishop] my life as a priest changed. That Yes reminded me of other Yeses during my vocational journey and strengthens my new mission in the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre.”

Rite of Ordination

Odair Miguel Gonsalves dos Santos’ episcopal ordination rite included the laying on of hands on his head and the consecratory prayer, an act that repeats the gesture of the apostles. During the consecration, the book of the Gospels was opened and placed on the head of the future bishop. This was followed by the anointing of the elect’s head with the oil of Chrism, a gesture that recalls how the people of Israel elected their leaders. He also contemplated the presentation of the episcopal insignia: the ring, a symbol of spousal relationship with the Church; the mitre, a sign of the Church’s holiness; and the crosier, which represents the staff of the Good Shepherd in caring for the flock.

Odair celebrated his first Mass as an ordained bishop on Saturday (9), in the chapel of St Peter, the community where Odair was born. On Sunday (10), the bishop said Mass in the morning at St Michael the Archangel parish and in the afternoon at Guamirim cemetery, where his parents are buried. Odair Miguel will be the reference bishop for the Vicariate of Guaíba and the Justice, Charity and Peace dimension in the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre.