(February 12, 2009) More than 5,000 people including four hundreds priests, hundreds
of nuns joined the liturgy that consecrated Father Francis Kalist the new bishop of
Meerut diocese on February 8. The new bishop, a priest of the same diocese, succeeds
Bishop Patrick Nair. Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Nair, on December 3rd
2008, which he tendered upon reaching the canonical age limit of 75. Priests from
Delhi and several dioceses of also attended the ceremony in Meerut. Bishop Nair consecrated
his successor in the ceremony attended by several bishops including Archbishops of
Delhi and Agra. The new bishop was rector of the major seminary of Agra, when he
was named bishop in December. He was born in Ratapuram, India in 1957 and ordained
a priest in 1982. The diocese bordering Delhi covers an area 28,696 square kilometres
with some 30 million people but its Catholic population is merely 29,000. At present
115 priests and 630 religious work in the area.