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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Francisco Antonio Agnelo Jacinto Pinheiro, of the metropolitan archdiocesan clergy of Goa and Damão, until now professor of philosophy at the Patriarchal Seminar of Rachol and responsible for the Apostolate of Interreligious Dialogue of the metropolitan archdiocesan clergy of Goa and Damão, as bishop of the diocese of Sindhudurg, India.
Msgr. Francisco Antonio Agnelo Jacinto Pinheiro was born on 6 July 1972 in Raia, India. After studying philosophy and theology at the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol, he was awarded a degree in psychology from Goa University, a master’s degree in philosophy from the Jnana Deepa Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Pune, and a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 28 October 2000 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Goa and Damão.
He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest of Saint Alex in Calangute (2000-2001), professor of philosophy at the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol (2004-2013 and since 2017), responsible for the Apostolate of Interreligious Dialogue of the metropolitan archdiocesan clergy of Goa and Damão (since 2018), and administrator of the parish of Saint Joseph in Dramapur (2022-2023). (Agenzia Fides, 14/2/2026)
