The Holy Father appointed the new bishop for the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts. He is Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., who until now has been an auxiliary bishop of Newark.
Bishop da Cunha was born in 1953 in Brazil. He went to school there, entered the religious life, studied philosophy at the Catholic University of Salvador, and then went to the United States to study theology at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Newark where he obtained his Masters of Divinity degree.
He made temporary vows in 1975 at Sao Salvador da Bahia in Brazil and perpetual vows in 1979 in Newark. He was ordained a priest in 1982 in Newark. He has held numerous positions since then.
He was titular bishop of Ucres and auxiliary bishop of Newark in 2003. He was ordained bishop on September 3, 2003.
In addition to his native Portuguese, he speaks fluently English and Spanish, and he understands Italian.
Congratulations, Diocese of Flal River!
