Anastácio Alves, was ordained in the Cathedral of Funchal, by Bishop Teodoro Faria, on 28 July 1990, along with José Tolentino Mendonça. After his ordination as priest, he was assigned to the Parish of Quinta Grande, having exercised his office between 1992 and 1999. After 1999 he was then transferred to Parish Nazaré, in São Martinho, until 2008. In 2008 he requests to be transferred to Portuguese Catholic Mission in Switzerland, in order to provide "spiritual support" to the Portuguese community living in that country and to further pursue his Theology studies in the University of Fribourg, a request to which Bishop Carrilho acceeds to. His parishioners in Nazaré would then speak out against his "sudden" leaving. After spending 4 years in Switzerland he was then authorized to exercise his ecclesiastical functions in the Portuguese Parish of Gentilly until July 24, 2018, when his removed from office the Portuguese Conference of Bishops due to alleged child abuse investigations initiated in Madeira by the Public Ministry and the Diocese of Funchal.
Child abuse
In the mid of 2005, when Bishop Teodoro de Faria was still head of the Diocese of Funchal, Alves was reported to the Police as a child abuser and was made arguido the Public Ministry. This case was then closed due to lack of evidence in 2007, when Alves was already in charge of the Parish of Nazaré. One year after the case his closed, the recently arrived Bishop Carilho announces that Alves has requested him to be transferred Switzerland. On 24 July 2018, the Portuguese Conference of Bishops removes Alves from office in France due to another alleged child abuse case being investigated in Madeira. In September 2, the same year, Bishop Carrilho suspends Alves from all ecclesiastical duties, announcing a "zero tolerance" policy and vowing to send all investigation reports and conclusions to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in accordance with Canon Law. Alves has not been seen since his removal from office. The diocese has made several attempts to contact him pertaining to the child abuse investigation, but his whereabouts remain unknown. In late 2019, he was heard from for the first time since the start of the investigation, having sent a letter to the diocese "asking to be released from his priestly duties", though refraining from disclosing his location or explaining his absence.
