José_Avelino_Bettencourt
José Avelino Bettencourt ComC, OMRI (born 23 May 1962) is a Portuguese-Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
José Avelino Bettencourt | |
|---|---|
| Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea Titular Archbishop of Aemona | |
| Installed | 26 February 2018 |
| Predecessor | Julio Murat |
| Other post(s) | Titular Archbishop of Aemona |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 May 1993 by Marcel André J. Gervais |
| Consecration | 19 March 2018 by Pope Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1962-05-23) 23 May 1962 (age 61) |
| Nationality | Portuguese-Canadian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Residence | Tbilisi |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Alma mater | University of Ottawa, St. Paul University, Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy |
| Motto | FIDES SPES CHARITAS (Corinthians 13:13) |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of José Avelino Bettencourt | |
|---|---|
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
Born in Velas, Azores, on 23 May 1962, he settled at a young age in Canada with his family. Bettencourt was ordained a priest in 1993 in the Archdiocese of Ottawa and graduated with degrees in literature and theology from the University of Ottawa.[1]
He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1999 and obtained a doctorate in canon law at Pontifical Gregorian University. He worked at the apostolic nunciature to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and then moved to the Secretariat of State of the Holy See.[1]
On 14 November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him head of the protocol of the Secretariat of State. He was also responsible for contacts with the embassies accredited to the Holy See and to the central Vatican authority.
On 26 February 2018, Pope Francis gave him the title apostolic nuncio and appointed him Titular Archbishop of Aemona.[1] He was named nuncio to Armenia on 1 March[2] and to Georgia as well on 8 March.[3] He received his episcopal ordination from Pope Francis on 19 March.[4][5]
On 30 August 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea[6]
Honours
 |
Commander of Order of Christ, Palácio Nacional de Belém, 29 April 2013[7] |
 |
Grand Officer of Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Rome, 18 April 2015[8] |
Coat of Arms
Bettencourt was granted coat of arms by the Canadian Heraldic Authority through a Grant of Arms, on August 15, 2019.[9]
- "Resignations and Appointments, 26.02.2018" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 01.03.2018" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 08.03.2018" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- Itcode. "Vaticano: Padre luso-canadiano é o novo chefe de protocolo da Secretaria de Estado". www.agencia.ecclesia.pt. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 30.08.2023". Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- Group, Global Media (29 April 2013). "Chefe do protocolo do Vaticano vive ″momento histórico″".
- Segretariato generale della Presidenza della Repubblica. "Bettencourt Mons. José Avelino: Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana". www.quirinale.it. Quirinale.
- General, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Bettencourt, José Avelino [Individual]". reg.gg.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Head of Protocol of Secretariat of State of the Holy See 14 November 2012 – 26 February 2018 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Armenia 1 March 2018 – 30 August 2023 |
Succeeded by vacant |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Georgia 8 March 2018 – 30 August 2023 |
Succeeded by vacant |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon 30 August 2023 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Equatorial Guinea 30 August 2023 – present |
Incumbent |