ANTÔNIO FERNANDO BROCHINI (bishop)
Antônio Fernando Brochini was born in Rio Claro (state of São Paulo, Brazil), on November 10, 1946.
He was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Stigmatines).
He was son of Paschoal Hércules Brochini and Guiomar Baumgartner Brochini.
In 1958, after his elementary studies, he entered to the Stigmatine Holy Cross Apostolic School, still on his birth city. He was student of middle and high schools in Ribeirão Preto (SP, Brazil), in the Venerable Gaspar Bertoni Missionary Institute. He studied Philosophy in the Stigmatine Institute, and was graduated in 1967.
Afterwards he was licensed in Pedagogy by the Pontifical University in Campinas (SP, Brazil), in 1970, where later on he was pos-graduated in School Administration and Educational Supervision. From 1970 to 1973, he studied Theology in the Pope John XXIII Institute, in São Paulo (SP, state capital). During that same period, he was vice-principal of the Holy Family Educational Institute, in São Caetano do Sul (SP).
He professed his perpetual vows on February 3, 1973, and was ordained a Stigmatine Priest on December 8 of that same year.
From 1974 to 2001, he served the Province of St. Joseph, as: Formator on the Minor Seminary, Local Superior and Superior Provincial in Morrinhos (state of Goiás), up to 1988; Principal in the Senator Hermenegildo Moraes Gymnasium, 1978 – 1979 in Morrinhos (GO); Novice Master, still in Morrinhos (GO), 1986-1987; Formator of the Stigmatine Professed Students and Principal of the Philosophy and Theology Institute of the state of Goiás, 1988; Superior Provincial of the Province of St. Joseph (1988 – 1994; 1997 - 2001); Pastor of the Stigmatine Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, in Morrinhos (GO), 1990 – 1991; Formator of Philosophy and Administrative Director in the Institute of Philosophy and Theology of Goiás (1994 – 1997).
On December 12, 2001, he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of Jaboticabal (SP), and received his episcopal ordination on March 3 of the following year. He became Diocesan Bishop on June 25, 2003, succeeding the Most Rev. Luiz Eugênio Perez. His Episcopal Motto was: “Testimony of Communion”.
On October 15, 2014, Pope Francis assigned him as Diocesan Bishop of Itumbiara (GO). He was canonically installed as Diocesan Bishop of Itumbiara on January 3, 2015, in the Saint Rita of Cascia Cathedral in Itumbiara, by the Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Giovanni D’Anielo.
Pope Francis accepted the resigning request of Most Rev. Brochini on July 13, 2023, in reason of he had turned 75 years old, as predicted in the Canonical Rights.
On March 3, 2024, Most Rev. Brochini offered his morning Mass in his home in thanksgiving for his 22 years of episcopal ministry. He could not offer this Mass in the Cathedral, as usual, because doctor recommendations.
He was called back to our Father’s Home on March 15, 2024, in the Uberlândia Medical Center Hospital, in Uberlândia (state of Minas Gerais), where he was receiving medical care for acute myeloid leukemia, since February, 2022.
Rest in Peace.