Fr António Valério, SJ, was born in 1977 in Idanha-a-Nova. He entered the Society of Jesus in Coimbra in 1997 and was ordained a priest in July 2009 at the Carmelite Monastery in Fátima.
He holds a degree in Philosophy and Humanities from the Faculty of Philosophy of Braga, Portuguese Catholic University. He studied Theology, first in Bilbao, Spain, and then in Rome, at the Gregorian University, completing his Master's degree in Fundamental Theology in 2010. He completed the final stage of his formation in the Society of Jesus in Bolivia in 2017 and took his solemn vows in 2018.
Before entering the Society of Jesus, he was a seminarian in the Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco.
Fr António Valério, SJ worked apostolically in university pastoral care and was National Director of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. He was also Provincial Consultor and Rector of the Juniorate in Braga. He is currently Director-General of Colégio das Caldinhas in Santo Tirso.
In 2023, he participated in the Congregation of Procurators in Loyola.
He succeeds Fr. Miguel Almeida, SJ as Provincial of the Portuguese Jesuits.
He will take office in June.
