His Excellency Lelis Lara, CSsR, passes on: a very nice person, full of hope!
Last Thursday, December 8th, 2016, His Excellency Lelis Lara, CSsR, emeritus bishop of the diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano (Minas Gerais, Brazil) passed away. He was hospitalized for pneumonia at the metropolitan Hospital Unimed, at Coronel Fabriciano since November 29th.
His Excellency Lara professed vows on February 2, 1946 and was ordained a priest in February 1951. In 1976 Pope Paul VI appointed him as auxiliary bishop of Itabira-Fabriciano and in 1996 he was appointed as bishop of the same diocese. In 2003, he resigned according to the norms of canon law due to age.
The Secretary General of the Bishops Conference of Brazil (CNBB), His Excellency Leonardo Steiner, sent a note of condolence to the family, to the Redemptorists and all communities of the diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano Coronel for the death of the Bishop Emeritus, His Excellency Lelis Lara CSsR.
In the note, His Excellency Leonardo says “inspired by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church, founder of his Religious Congregation, bishop Lara always exuded a joyful presence and was full of hope.”
The former bishop of the diocese of Itabira-Coronel Fabriciano, Mons. Lelis Lara, C.Ss.R., was one of the carriers during the torch relay of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
