Francis Serrao

Last updated

Most Reverend

Francis Serrao

S.J.
Bishop of Shimoga
Bishop designate of Mysore
Archdiocese Bangalore
Diocese Shimoga
Appointed19 March 2014
PredecessorGerald Isaac Lobo
Orders
Ordination30 April 1992
Consecration7 May 2014
by  Salvatore Pennacchio
Personal details
Born (1959-08-15) 15 August 1959 (age 66)
Moodabidri, Mysore State, India
Denomination Roman Catholic
MottoSERVICE OF FAITH FULLNESS OF LIFE
Coat of arms Coat of arms of Francis Serrao.svg

Francis Serrao, S.J. is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shimoga since 2014. In August 2025 he was named bishop of Mysore.

Contents

Biography

Francis Serrao was born on 15 August 1959 in Moodabidri, Karnataka, India, one of eleven children born to Piedade Serrao and Gracy Mary Serrao. He has five brothers who are priests and a sister who is a religious. [1]

Serrao joined the Society of Jesus on 3 January 1979. He completed his philosophy and theology studies at the Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth in Pune and then earned a master's degree in theology from Vidyajyoti College of Theology in New Delhi. He was ordained a priest for the Society of Jesus on 30 April 1992 by Bishop Basil D'Souza of Mangalore. [2] He took his final vows as a Jesuit on 1 May 1999.

He worked in the Jesuits' social apostolate for the dalit and tribal people at Mundgod mission in the Diocese of Karwar in 1991/1992 and from 1994 to 1997. He was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Anekal from 2000 to 2004, and then superior of the Jesuit Mission in Bajapur for 2003/2004. He served as rector of St. Aloysius College in Mangalore, an institution with more than 11,000 students, from 2004 to 2009. He was provincial of the Karnataka Jesuit Province from 2009 to 2014. [1]

Pope Francis appointed Serrao bishop of Shimoga on 19 March 2014. [3] He received his episcopal consecration on 7 May 2014 from Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio to India. [4]

On 15 August 2025, Pope Leo XIV named him bishop of Mysore. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bishop Francis Serrao, S.J." UCAN Directory. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  2. ↑ "Rev Fr. Francis Serrao SJ appointed New Bishop of Shimoga Diocese". Kemmannu News Network. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 19.03.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "Our Bishop". Shimoga Diocese. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 15.08.2025" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
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