Leo XIV appoints bishop who approved ‘re-marriage’ of divorced Catholic

Pope Leo XIV has appointed a Brazilian bishop who permitted the “wedding” of a man still married to another woman.

Pope Leo on Tuesday appointed Bishop Francisco Cota de Oliveira, 57, to the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano, in Brazil, the Holy See Press Office reported.

Cota allowed the “marriage” of Públio Gonçalves de Carvalho, 76, and Lúcia Carlini Bongenato, 63, in November 2025, Gloria TV reported Wednesday. According to MegaCidade.com, Públio was previously married and had three children when he met Lúcia, who was a single mother of two daughters.

The couple had lived together for almost four decades and had two more daughters together.

The Brazilian news outlet noted that because of his marriage to another woman, from whom he separated, Públio thought a Catholic wedding to Bongenato was “impossible.” MegaCidade.com does not state that his prior marriage had been declared invalid, or that his spouse had died. ---More...

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