Bangladesh priests’ fraternity mark silver jubilee
(April 26, 2010) Church people in Bangladesh turned out in large numbers last week
to close a two-day celebration marking the silver jubilee of what has become an important
support organization for diocesan priests. About 200 mostly diocesan clergy, together
with almost all the Catholic bishops in the country, the apostolic nuncio, nuns and
about 1,000 lay Catholics attended the 25th anniversary celebration of the Bangladesh
Diocesan Priests’ Fraternity (BDPF). The April 22-23 event was held at the Holy Rosary
Church in Tejgaon, Dhaka. “I’m so glad to be able to share my joy with my brothers,
the diocesan priests, in the Year for Priests. Today we celebrate with joy and gratitude
to God,” said Archbishop Paulinus Costa of Dhaka. “The BDPF silver jubilee invites
all its members to evaluate their lives, to overcome their shortcomings,” said the
archbishop, who is also president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh,
CBCB. The two-day celebration began on April 22 with a seminar and annual meeting
of diocesan priests at the CBCB secretariat in Dhaka. It continued the following day
with celebrations attended by lay Catholics. The celebrations included a Mass and
a cultural program. The BDPF was formed in 1985 and provides spiritual renewal courses,
monthly and annual retreats, as well as education and development seminars to strengthen
the spiritual development of its members.