I read one of his books, and was aware his fame was growing and he was becoming increasingly renowned. I think the was nominated as vice-president of catholic university only recently. A couple of years ago the national high-school exam to access university had the essay based on one of his books that was mandatory reading that year. I can’t remember any other priest of the last two centuries being mandatory reading in high school. I was bound to cross paths with him more than once, but I always ended up not having time.
And yes, I am Portuguese. But no, I haven’t been to mass with him yet, and so haven’t heard him preach a homily and neither have I been at any of his public speeches.
He is being bashed on some channels (the usual ones outside of Portugal) for being this and that. But for the most part those articles don’t do him justice, and I find it curious that him having been chosen hardly had any echo anywhere.