Gleison De Paula Souza was born on May 14, 1984, in Coronel Fabriciano in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. He lived his adolescence in Ipatinga, a city near his birthplace.
From 2005 to early 2016 he was a member - with temporary vows - of the Congregation of the Little Work of Divine Providence (Don Orione), being a member of several Orione communities in Brazil and Italy. After a long process of discernment, he decided to take the path of lay life.
In 2012, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from the "Instituto Santo Tomás de Aquino (ISTA)" in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) defending his thesis: "O conceito do Amor-Eros e Amor-Ágape de Platão e suas relações com a Carta Encíclica 'Deus Caritas Est' do Papa Bento XVI." (Plato's concept of Love-Eros and Love-Agape and their relation to Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical Letter 'Deus Caritas Est'.) In 2015 he completed his theological studies with his dissertation, "History of Salvation: merciful action of God in favor of mankind" in the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome (UPS). In the year 2019 - in Lecce, Italy - he obtained a Master's Degree in Philosophical Sciences at the University of Salento with his thesis: "Modern Philosophy and the Magisterium of the Church: the desire for rational progress and the defense of the Catholic Doctrine from 1823 to 1914."
As a teacher of the Catholic religion, Dr. De Paula Souza has taught at the following institutes: 2017-2021, Mediterranean Technical Pole "Aldo Moro" in Santa Cesarea Terme (LE); 2020-2021, IISS "Enrico Mattei" in Maglie (LE); from 2021 until November 2022 he taught at the Liceo Scientifico e Linguistico "A.Vallone" in Galatina (LE).
In 2012 he received the ministry of Lector and, in 2013, the ministry of the Acolyte. In the Archdiocese of Otranto he was a member of the youth pastoral council. In Cursi (LE) he was a catechist and Acolyte.
The Holy Father Francis appointed him Secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life on November 17, 2022.
Since 11 January 2023 he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Pontifical Academy for Life.
Dr. De Paula Souza is married and has two daughters.