Biography

He was born on December 21, 1936 in Elias Fausto-SP. Son of Sérgio Abib a Lebanese Syrian descendants and Josepha Pacheco Abib an Italian descendants, resident in São Paulo. He began the ellementary course at Fr. Moye school, run by Sisters of Providence.

When he was 12, he started studying at Liceu Coração de Jesus and he worked at the graphic arts plant. At 13 years old he was transferred to Ginásio São Manoel in Lavrinhas - SP in order to be integrated to the Salesian´s seminar, and later he left to Pindamonhangaba - SP, for starting the

second grade at Institute Sagrado Coração and after that in Lorena - SP to start studying Philosophy at Instituto Salesiano.

When he finished this stage he had studied theology in São Paulo - SP at Instituto Salesiano de Teologia Pio XI; He was ordered Priest in 1964 choosing the following slogan: "Feito tudo para todos" - done everything for everybody.

As recent ordered priest he had worked with the youth in São Paulo. Later, He taught at Faculdade Salesiana de Ciências e Letras in Lorena - SP and he still gave attendance to the youth throught praying encounters and retreats.

In 1971 Fr. Jonas met the Catholic Charismatic Renewal that marked his life and his ministry. He had insisted to work with the youth, and in 1978 he founded Canção Nova Community that has the Mission to Evangelize through the social communication means.

In 1980, Canção Nova Community began to act in the mean of communication by Rádio Canção Nova-AM band. Today Radio Canção Nova is covering the world by AM, FM, MW and SW bands. In 1989, Canção Nova Community began to operate also with TV's transmissions from TVE of Rio de Janeiro. In this occasion Canção Nova TV covered just a part of Vale do Paraiba.

Fr. Jonas Abib is the president of Fundação João Paulo II and member of the Council of the Renewal Charismatic Catholic in Brazil.