Divine Word Missionaries

Fr. Norbert Hans
Cristoph Foerster

foto CNBB

See Also:
C†H - Catholic Hierarchy
CNBB - The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil

Breaking News

Pope Francis appoints an SVD Bishop

Fr. Norbert Hans Christoph Foerster, SVD

On December 2, 2020, the Holy Father has appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Ji-Paraná (Brazil) Father Norbert Hans Christoph Foerster, SVD until now Provincial Councilor of Brazil Central Province (BRC)

Curriculum vitae

• Mons. Norbert Hans Christoph Foerster was born on July 9, 1960, in Bonn, Germany. He began his Novitiate in St. Paul on October 2, 1983. He professed his first vows in St. Augustine on October 4, 1985. He completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology in Münster, Germany. He was transferred to Brazil. There he obtained a Baccalaureate in Theology at the Centro de Ensino Superior de Juiz de Fora, in the State of Minas Gerais. He also received a Licentiate in Religious Sciences at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo and a Doctorate at the Universidade Metodista de São Paulo in São Bernardo. He pronounced his perpetual vows in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 10, 1989. He was ordained a priest on December 10, 1989.

He has held the following positions:

• Vice-parish priest of São Francisco de Assis in Valo Velho, Diocese of Campo Limpo, SP (1990-1995);
• Vocation Promoter and Formator in the Diocesan Seminary of the Diocese of Registry (1996-2000);
• Provincial Councillor of the BRC (1996-2001);
• Formator and Professor of Theology in Jardim Míriam (2001-2005);
• Vice-parish priest of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in the Diocese of Santo Amaro (2006-2012);
• Vicar General Diocese of Humaitá and Administrator of the Cathedral (2013-2015);
• Administrator of the Beiradão Coastal Mission (2016-2020);
• Until now, he has been Professor of Theology at the Seminário Maior João XXIII in Porto Velho and Provincial Councilor of BRC.

The Diocese of Ji-Paraná

• The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ji-Paraná is a diocese located in the city of Ji-Paraná in the Ecclesiastical province of Porto Velho in Brazil. On January 3, it was established as Territorial Prelature of Vila Rondônia from the Territorial Prelature of Guajará-Mirim and Territorial Prelature of Porto Velho. It was promoted as Diocese of Ji-Paraná on February 19, 1983.
• Population: 506,000 Catholics (60.2% of 840,400 total) (2018)
• Statistics: 24 parishes, 1,281 missions, 58 priests (28 diocesan, 30 religious), 1 deacon, 70 lay religious (33 brothers, 37 sisters), 16 seminarians (2018)

Rome, December 2, 2020
Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD
Superior General