Leonardo Mario Bernacchi

Leonardo Mario Bernacchi Silvano OFM ( born January 9, 1933, Chiusi della Verna, Tuscany, Italy, † 10 April, 2012 Camiri, Santa Cruz, Bolivia) was Vicar Apostolic of Camiri.

Life

Leonardo Mario Bernacchi joined the Congregation of the Franciscan and laid on August 15, 1950 profession on. He received on 29 June 1958, the priesthood and went on 7 July 1960 in the mission to Bolivia.

Pope John Paul II appointed him on 17 November 1993 as Titular Bishop of Tabaicara and Vicar Apostolic of Cuevo. The Apostolic Nuncio to Bolivia, Giovanni Tonucci, consecrated him to 20 March of the next year to the bishop; Co-consecrators were Julio Terrazas Sandoval, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Bernardino Rivera Álvarez, OFM, Auxiliary Bishop of Potosí.

On 15 July 2009, Pope Benedict XVI. be age-related resignation to.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Camiri (until 2003: Vicariate Apostolic Cuevo ) covers an area of ​​100,000 km2 and is mainly inhabited by the tribes of Guaraní, as well as mestizos and small groups from the indigenous tribes of the Quechua, Mataco, Toba, Ayoreo and Tapieté. Leonardo Mario Bernacchi Silvano was committed to the people of the Guaraní and founded the local radio station Radio Parapeti and the TV channel Canal 4 in Camiri, which he handed over later to the Guaraní. He also worked for the educational programs of the TEKO Guarani. He initiated the construction of schools and dining rooms for children. He supported the presence of the Salesian Universidad de Bolivia - USALESIANA in Camri.