CALCUTTA PROVINCE GIVES ARCHBISHOP, BISHOP AND GENERAL COUNCILLOR IN 20 DAYS
By C. M. Paul
KOLKATA, 25 April, DBIS – The mother province of salesian India, which recently concluded its platinum jubille has given an archbishop, bishop and a general councillor all in the matter of 20 days. The hat trick started off with the nomination of Salesian coadjutor archbishop Lucas Sirkar of Calcutta as its archbishop, 2 April. The second and third followed in quick succession with the election of the Calcutta provincial Fr. Francis Allencherry as the General Councillor for the missions, April 4 and the nomination of Fr. Joseph Gomes as Bishop of Krishnagar, 17 April.
There are eight Salesian bishops in India among whom are three archbishops.
Coadjutor Archbishop Lucas Sirkar of Kolkata became the first Bengali and Salesian bishop to be appointed archbishop of the oldest diocese (168-years) in Bengal. Christian settlements in Bengal dates back to 16th century, around Bandel area in Hooghly district with Jesuits and Augustinians doing pioneering missionary work. At Kolkata the first Catholic Chapel was established in 1700 while the Protestants arrived in 19th century.
In a solemn Eucharistic concelebration held at the Portuguese Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary, 25 April, 11 bishops, over 120 priests and about 400 religious and hundreds of faithful welcomed the new archbishop.
"He was a congenial companion to me, loyal and sensitive to my directives and policies," said Archbishop emeritus Henry D’Souza complementing archbishop Lucas Sirkar who traveled the length and breadth of the archdiocese for pastoral visits during his two-year tenure as Coadjutor.
Rome accepted the resignation of 77-year-old archbishop D’Souza who served 28 years as archbishop (11 in years in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa and 17 years in Kolkata) on 2 April, 2002. According to Church Law, Bishops normally relinquish office at the age of 75.
Archbishop Sirkar thanked archbishop D’Souza "for being a sincere worker, excellent administrator, even though sometimes he has been misunderstood for it."
"Your prayers would encourage me to go for the basin of Jesus at the Last Supper, because otherwise my limitations may make me opt for the basin at Pilate’s court," he said in the homily requesting a special memento for his new episcopal ministry.
Besides archbishop Henry D'Souza of Calcutta, there were seven suffragan bishops (except Bishop Cyprian Monis of Asansol who was away in Mangalore for priestly ordinations) and three retired Bishops, Superior Generals and provincials.
Born in Nalchira, Barishal district (now Bangladesh) on 24th September 1936, archbishop Sirkar had his school education in Don Bosco school Krishnagar and College education in the Salesian College Sonada, Drajeeling and Kristu Jyoti College Bangalore. He was ordained priest on 20th April 1968 at Krishnagar Cathedral and consecrated bishop on September 22, 1984 in the same Cathedral. Extensive pastoral experiences took him beyond the Bengal missions to Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
Archbishop Sirkar is also the founder of the Adoration Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary popularly known as Diocesan Sisters. The Congregation founded with six members in 1986 today has four communities in the Krishnagar diocese with about 80 members. The Sisters are engaged in evangelization, catechesis and the care of the sick and destitute
