New Bishop of a New Diocese in Bangladesh

Recently the newly appointed bishop of  the Diocese of Sylhet in Bangladesh, Bishop Bejoy Nicephorus D’Cruz visited our Provincial House in Wayne, New Jersey. In the picture above we have Fr. Gomes, Director of Campus Ministry of Seton Hall, NJ, Bishop Bejoy D’Cruze, and Fr. Frank Grappoli, Provincial Treasurer of the Xaverian Missionaries USA.

Bishop Bejoy, was formerly was Bishop of Kulhna, Bangladesh since 2005, was appointed to the new diocese in Bangladesh in July 2011. Sylhet (Sylheti: ছিলট Silôţ, Bengali: সিলেট Ṣileţ), is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009.Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills. The city is approaching a population of 500,000 people while also having a high population density.It is one of the largest cities in Bangladesh. The Sylhet region is well known for its tea gardens and tropical forests. The city is also known for its business boom; being one of the richest cities in Bangladesh,with new investments of hotels, shopping malls and luxury housing estates, brought mainly by expatriates living in the United Kingdom.

 The new diocese of Sylhet (nom. lat. Sylheten / sis /), will include the 4 civil districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Moulibazar and is suffragan of the Archdiocese of Dhaka. Provisionally, the parish church of Lokhipur, 100 km from Sylhet, will be the Cathedral of the erected diocese.

The Xaverian Missionaries, arrived in Bangladesh in 1952. Ever since, we have tried to work in communion with the local clergy, on the formation of young Bangladeshi candidates to become Xaverians, and the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus as first announcement. Our missionary presence in “Chuknagar,” “Tala Kumpur,” “L’Ashram,” the Centers for Dialogue in Khulna and Dhaka, and “Asharbari,” strive to integrate our missionary thrust to non-Christians with the pastoral service to the local Christian community. While we follow some Christian villages, we nevertheless direct our efforts mainly to non-Christians. Besides our full involvement in parish contexts, dispensaries, schools, and hospitals, we have two formation communities: The Formation house in Dhaka (for aspirants and postulants), and Novitiate house in Khulna.