A Growing Church in a Developing Region of India

Sept. 02, 2011: Catholics in the diocese of Asansol in West Bengal, on the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent has their missionclearly set out: they are to "prove themselves in word and deed as true disciples of Christ". They are to bear witness and help their fellow men. This is what Bishop Cyprian Monis believes, who has been in charge of this diocese since it was founded in 1997.
The diocese shares its name with the industrial city of Asansol, which numbers around half a million people. Roughly three quarters of the inhabitants of West Bengal are Hindus, while around a quarter are Muslims. Catholics make up only a tiny minority in the region.
However this fact in no way discourages Bishop Monis. "We are a growing Church, and each year around 1000 people find their way to the Faith", he emphasised during a visit to the international HQ's of the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
He said that the number of Catholics here has almost doubled since the diocese was founded in 1997, while the number of priests has increase three times. And so today the diocese of Asansol has a total of 29,000 Catholics, including 230 religious and 44 priests. The diocese now runs 7 primary schools and 8 secondary schools.
Bishop Monis remarked that "We are starting from scratch with everything in fact. We need churches, parish and social centres, schools… in short, everything." As an international Catholic pastoral charity, ACN is helping the further development of the diocese, since the Catholic faithful themselves can contribute little.
Nevertheless, as Bishop Cyprian pointed out that the collaboration of the laity is essential for the development of the diocese, whether women or men, young or old. They must be encouraged to live their faith in an exemplary manner, he said.