(December 29, 2011) The Catholic Church in north-western Rajshahi diocese in Bangladesh
on Wednesday ordained its first priest from the tribal Paharia community after more
than a century of evangelism among them. Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi presided
over the ordination of 37 year old Manik William Biswas, to the missionary congregation
of the Franciscan Friars, along with confrere Nikhil Martin Ghorami. About 5,000
people, including 30 priests and 26 nuns, attended the ordination at Good Shepherd
Cathedral parish in Rajshahi, about 300 kilometres outside Dhaka. Bishop Rozario
called the ordination of the first Paharia priest a milestone. “I thank God for this
graceful ceremony and hope it will lead the faithful to better days of unity and brotherhood,”
he said during the event. Newly ordained Fr Biswas told attendees that he was happy
to have overcome many challenges to reach the priesthood. “I had to go through both
ethnic and community struggles. Many students entered priestly formation life before
me, but all of them left before the end. My community also thought that I would fail
them.” Fr Biswas said he was only able to reach his goal with support from his family
and society. The origin of the Paharia community in Bangladesh dates back to the
British colonial era, during which they were brought to the East Bengal as migrant
workers from various Indian states. The community first embraced Christianity in 1904,
largely because of the work of Italian missionaries. About 70 percent of the nearly
10,000-strong Paharia community, which continues to struggle with poverty and limited
access to education, has converted to Catholicism..