by Fládima Christofari
The ceremony took place on a special day, the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patron Saint of Latin America, and gathered many religious, civil and ecclesiastical authorities, the Catholic community of Campo Grande and Corumbá, personalities of the Salesian Family and relatives of the new Bishop.
According to the Superior of the “Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso” – Province of Campo Grande – Fr. Gildasio Mendes, the ordination of the new Bishop is a gift for the Catholic Church and for all the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Msgr. Edmilson Tadeu – Fr. Mendes said – is the first native bishop of South Mato Grosso; this means that the seed of the Gospel has been sown and has grown, and now all the pastors, priests and children of God of that land can see one of them, from Corumbá, from Pantanal, who leaves to do an apostolic service in another archdiocese”.
Msgr. Canavarros dos Santos will be welcomed in the Archidiocese for which he has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop, Manaus, next Sunday, December 18th, whereas in Campo Grande his first Mass as Bishop is being celebrated today, Wednesday 14th, in the parish dedicated to Mary Help of Christians. The Mass is also the occasion to greet us, his parishioners and friends of Campo Grande. “It is not our capabilities that show who we really are, but our choices; I believe that each one of us has a mission in their life, and it is incredible how God chooses”, the Bishop said with regard to his new pastoral mission.
