Bristol parish welcomes a new spiritual leader

By Manuel C. "Manny" Correira
Posted 1/26/19

Ever since he was 10 years old, Marinaldo Batista had visions of becoming a priest. The young lad from Brazil was destined to become a favorite of all those he would faithfully serve. Now, many years …

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Bristol parish welcomes a new spiritual leader

Posted

Ever since he was 10 years old, Marinaldo Batista had visions of becoming a priest. The young lad from Brazil was destined to become a favorite of all those he would faithfully serve. Now, many years later, he’s become pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church, a parish for whom he’s now in charge.

Succeeding the Rev. Richard A. Narciso, who left St. Elizabeth’s last July after six years as pastor (and did not seek reappointment), Father Batista has assumed his new duties with much grace and reverence.

“He is wonderful, and I love how he includes the children in his Mass,” said Mary Prew Martin on a Facebook post. “He is humble and kind and wants people to be involved. We are so very lucky to have him.”

“He’s a great priest,” said the Rev. Henry P. Zinno Jr., pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. “It was a pleasure working with him for six months as administrator while he got all his working papers in order. St. Elizabeth is lucky to have him as their pastor.”

As a Portuguese-speaking pastor, Father Batista fits right in with what this parish has evolved into for the more than 100 years of its existence. He was actually installed at St. Elizabeth’s during a Saturday vigil Mass last July, which was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans.

“I wanted to come to a bigger parish,” said the 51-year-old Father Batista, who previously served as pastor at a Portuguese parish in Canada for 13 years. “I want to work more.”

Amazingly, Father Batista entered the seminary in 1981 at the age of 13. His education took him to Sao Paulo and later Rome, where he stayed until 2003, and fulfilled a master’s degree in Philosophy at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.

From 2003 until 2018, he served at parishes in Brazil and Canada, including in his home diocese at the Holy Family Parish, and most recently at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Canada.

Before he became the new pastor at St. Elizabeth’s Church, Father Batista had talked initially with Bishop Evans, who said the parish needed someone who spoke Portuguese. There was little doubt that Father Batista was the right man for the job.

“I really wanted to come here,” said Father Batista in a genuine tone. “We have approximately 2,400 families here at St. Elizabeth’s, and I’d like to improve a few things. There are some things that we need to do in the church. Specifically, we have to grow more. I’d like to get more younger people involved. This is a beautiful church.”

He continued, “We have some good people here who are willing to help any way they can. I’ll continue to observe everything. I’m not going to change things right away.”

With four Masses being said on Sunday and one on Saturday, Father Batista’s work schedule will continue to be busy. But he knows he has the faithful support of his parishioners.

“I have to know the people better,” he confessed. “I like to mingle with the people. I’m not afraid to be in touch with people. I have to be familiar with all of these people here. I have a channel of communication with people.”

Father Batista also cleared some R-1 Visa issues he had, so now he has a working Visa in place for the next two and a half years.

When he’s not involved with everyday church issues, Father Batista unwinds by regular exercising.

“I love Colt State Park and the bike path,” he admitted. “We have to enjoy the natural beauty we have here. I walk a little and run a little. I believe in exercising. Obviously when the weather is cold like this, I can’t get out as often. Plus, the days aren’t as long and warm as they are in summer. But, I try and make the most of it. As I’ve said, ‘If I don’t have my health, I can’t be an effective priest. ’ ”

Parishioner Barbara Longo Ferreira said she couldn’t be happier now that Father Batista is the new pastor.

“He is so incredibly interesting,” she noted. “I have had the opportunity to really get to know Father Marinaldo, ‘the man,’ and he is a wonderful individual. He is so appealing to the young people of our parish (the children love him because he includes them in the Mass). He’s a true priest's priest.”

Sitting behind his office desk, Father Batista leans forward a bit and exclaims, “I’m very happy. I’ll try to do my best to take care of the people in this parish.”

2024 by East Bay Media Group

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