Currently Rector of the Salesian work in Setúbal, Fr. Tarcízio Morais shall succeed Fr. José Aníbal Mendonça in the post during an installation ceremony scheduled for next summer.
Tarcízio Morais was born on May 30, 1972, in Winnipeg, Canada, where his parents, João Alberto Morais and Maria de Fátima Castro Morais, had emigrated. He made his first profession in the Salesian Congregation on September 8, 1990, in Vilarinho, near Vila do Conde. During his initial formation period, he was in Manique, attended Philosophy at Lisbon Catholic University, carried out his internship in Évora and theological studies in Madrid. He made his perpetual profession on July 27, 1996, and was ordained a priest on 17 April 1999 in Mirandela, in his family's home diocese of Bragança-Miranda.
In 2003 he obtained the Licentiate in Educational Sciences from the Salesian Pontifical University of Rome (UPS) and subsequently, in 2005, a specialization in Pedagogy for Schooling and Vocational Training. He also holds a Master's degree in School Administration from the University Institute of Lisbon "ISCTE" in Lisbon.
Over the years, he has held various assignments in the service of the Portuguese Province, in pastoral animation, as Director and Pastoral Coordinator in Évora; formator and Vicar in the Porto Prenoviatiate; Pedagogical Director, Vicar, and then Director in Estoril; and Director and parish priest in Setúbal. He was also the Coordinator of the "Schools" sector and in charge of the "Salesian Formation Center," as well as the Provincial Councilor and Provincial Delegate to the 27th General Chapter.
From 2017 to 2021, he was part of the General Councilor's team for Youth Ministry at the Salesian Headquarters in Rome, as World Head of Salesian Schools and coordinator of the Delegates of Youth Ministry of Europe.
"We express our gratitude and fraternal friendship to him, and we support him with prayers and full collaboration", said the current Provincial, Fr Aníbal Mendonça.
