Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Fr. Henry D’Souza, presently Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications, New Delhi, as Bishop of Bellary Diocese in Karnataka. The Ecclesiastical provision was made public in Rome today at 12.00 Noon, corresponding to 4.30 PM, in India.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Vice president of CBCI and President of CCBI, announced the appointment at the CBCI Centre, New Delhi. Archbishop of Ddelhi Vincent Concessao and Archbishop of Hyderabad Marampudi Joji were among others were present at the occasion.
Fr Henry D’Souza, (58) has been the Executive Secretary of the CBCI Communications Commission for 7 years.
Earlier, he served as the Secretary, Proclamation and Communication Commission of Karnataka Regional Bishops’ Council (1989-2000).
Fr D’Souza was Founder Director of SANDESHA Regional Institute of Communications (1989 –2000) and Director of Sandesha College of Fine Arts, Mangalore (1996-2000).
Besides, he has been President of UNDA OCIC–India (Catholic Communicators’ Association), now Signis India (1986-1992) and Secretary, Signis - Asia (1989-1995)
Also, he served as Secretary of Mangalore Christian Council (Ecumenical, 1984-1994), Vice President, DARSHAN Film Society, Mangalore (1995-2000) and Secretary, Association for Communal Harmony, Mangalore (1991-1995).
Twice Fr D’Souza was appointed Member, Syllabus Committee for Fine Arts by Mangalore University in 1998 and 1999.
The Press Council of India had appointed Fr D’Souza as an observer of print media in Karnataka during the Parliamentary Elections in 1997 and 1999.
Fr D’Souza has produced a number of dance dramas ballets such as NISARGA VIJAYA (Environment) - a ballet on environment in Kannada and NAVODAYA (Life of Christ) - a Kannada dance drama dedicated to YESU KRIST JAYANTI 2000.
Besides, he has edited and published titles on Church Communication, such as Catholic Communications in India.
The See of Bellary was vacant due to the passing away of Bishop Joseph D’Silva on Nov.17, 2006.
The Diocese of Bellary owes its initial growth to the Franciscan fathers. In 1928, the Holy See detached the two districts of Raichur and Gulbarga from the Diocese of Hyderabad and the district of Bellary from the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore and formed the new Mission "Sui Juris" of Bellary.
It was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Order of Friars Minor of the English Province. In the course of twenty years, its development was considered sufficient to be constituted as a Diocese in 1949 with John Forest Hogan, ofm, as the first Bishop.
The Diocese of Bellary now consists of the districts of Bellary, Raichur, Koppal and Davanagere all in Karnataka state.
Bishop Hogan was succeeded by another great Franciscan Bishop Ambrose Yeddanapalli, ofm.
Bishop Joseph D'Silva was appointed as the third Bishop of Bellary on October 27, 1992, by Pope John Paul II and took charge on March 9, 1993. He served the diocese with much dedication until his death.
On the occasion of the golden jubilee of the Diocese of Bellary and Yesu Krist Jayanthi-2000, a beautiful shrine of Mother Mary of Bellary cum Biblical Museum were built and dedicated.
The diocese has about 25,000 Catholics, 55 diocesan clergy and about 230 Religious men and women.
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