His Excellency Msgr. Aldo BERARDI, O.SS.T.

was born in Longeville-lès-Metz (France) on 30th September 1963.

in 1979 he entered the Foyer-Séminaire in Montigny-lès-Metz. He attended George de la Tour High School in Metz.

from 1982 to 1984 he studied Philosophy at the Major Seminary of Villers-lès-Nancy.

from 1984 to 1986 he did his civil service in Madagascar. During this time he held the positions of French teacher, librarian and cultural officer.

on 8th October 1986 he entered the novitiate of the Trinitarian Fathers in Cerfoid (France). There he made his first religious profession on 4th October 1987.

from 1987 to 1990 he studied Theology at the Major Seminary of Montreal (Canada).

on 17th December 1990 he made his perpetual profession in Rome (Italy).

he was ordained a priest in Ars-sur-Moselle (France) on 20th July 1991.

from 1990 to 1992 he attended the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Moral Theology in 1992. In the same period, he also served at Caritas Rome.

from 1992 to 1998, he served as director of a Spirituality Centre in Cerfoid (France). He has also held the positions of parochial vicar, school chaplain, chaplain of a psychiatric hospital, Boy Scout assistant and Catholic Action assistant.

from 2000 to 2006 he directed the Centre Sainte Bakhita in Cairo (Egypt), which sheltered Sudanese refugees.

from 2007 to 2010 he served in the Sacred Heart Parish in Manama (Bahrain).

from 2009 to 2012 he was Provincial Counsellor for his Congregation.

from 2011 to 2019 he returned to the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, serving as Parish Priest and Episcopal Vicar.

from 2019 to 2023 he was Vicar General of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, President of the General Secretariat of Formation and Legal Representative of the Congregation’s Generalate.

On 28th January 2023 His Holiness Pope Francis appointed him the new Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia in succession to Msgr. Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, who died on 12th April 2020.

On 18th March 2023, Msgr. Aldo was consecrated Bishop by His Eminence Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, M.C.C.J. (Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See) at Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, Awali, Bahrain.

Bishop Aldo is the Second Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, overseeing the territories of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Bishop Aldo has chosen as his Episcopal motto the announcement of the Resurrection in Mt. 28,6: « Resurrexit, sicut dixit » ("He is risen, as He said"). Throughout his religious life, he teaches that the Risen Christ plunges us into the fullness of Trinitarian life, and therefore into love.

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H.E. BISHOP ALDO'S COAT OF ARMS

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Bishop Aldo’s coat of arms is unique and reflects his background and personality. It also provides the direction of his episcopal ministry.

The coat of arms shares the classic attributes for bishops:

- An episcopal cross stands behind the shield.
- A green galero, a medieval ecclesiastical hat, surmounts the cross and the shield, with six tassels hanging at both sides, arranged in 1, 2 and 3.

The coat of arms is marshalled horizontally in two parts.

On the upper part is the Trinitarian cross on a silver background, prominently depicted as tribute to the Trinitarians, the Order to which Bishop Aldo belongs. The colors red and blue stand for the two natures of Christ: true God and true Man. The silver background signifies purity of faith and religious vows.

A broken chain borders the lower part of the shield which is a sign of the redemptive ministry of the Trinitarians. The precious gold background in heraldry symbolizes the faith that sets humanity free and thus must be defended.

The Roman bridge represents the link between the Italian village (Bovino, Foggia) of Bp. Aldo's family and their adopted French village where same style of construction is likewise preserved (Ars-sur-Moselle, Metz). The water of the rivers and the seas are symbols of life, even its tumults. The blue of the sky and the blue of the sea merge and lead to Heaven, the Kingdom of God that is opened to us through baptism. The same baptism introduces us to the Trinitarian life and purifies our lives.

The gold star stands for the presence of the Virgin Mary – Queen of Heaven and Earth and Our Lady of Good Remedy – in our Christian life. Mary is the Stella della Daunia (Star of the Daunian Mountains in Bovino, Italy) that shines in the sky; She is the Stella Maris who guides us to the right port; Our-Lady of cities and villages; and, Our Lady of Arabia who protects the Arabian Peninsula. Our filial love of Mary guides our spirituality.

Bishop Aldo chose as his Episcopal motto the announcement of the Resurrection in Mt. 28,6: « Resurrexit, sicut dixit » (“He is risen, as He said”). Throughout his religious life, he teaches that the Risen Christ plunges us into the fullness of Trinitarian life, and therefore into love.

--- Coat of arms designed and created by the heraldist graphic designer Giuseppe Quattrociocchi (www.gqaraldica.it)