(January 20, 2012) A series of events has been organized to mark the 125 years of
the foundation of the Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta in eastern India’s Kolkata
city. One such event took place on Tuesday when Archbishop Lucas Sirkar and Coadjutor
Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta held a ‘meet and greet’ of media personnel at
the Archbishop’s House. Talking to ‘The Herald’ weekly, Archbishop of Calcutta Lucas
Sirkar spoke about the Church’s mission of service in Education, Health Care and Social
Development, saying, “Service to humanity is service to God.” He also spoke about
a series of events this year to mark the completion of 125 years of the Archdiocese.
Co-adjutor Archbishop D’Souza said they have already opened a 70-bed Hospital at Midnapore,
to serve the sick, especially the poor, including Leprosy, TB and HIV/AIDS patients
in that area. “We aspire to reach out to the poor and marginalized children, youth
and women in the areas of education, health care and empowerment to the maximum extent
possible,” he added. The event also saw the launch of Archdiocese’s website: . With
the establishment of the Catholic hierarchy in India in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII, the
Vicariate Apostolic of West Bengal became the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Today the
Metropolitan archdiocese has 7 suffragan dioceses in West Bengal state, viz, Asansol,
Baruipur, Bagdogra, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Krishnagar and Raiganj. Christianity
in West Bengal is a minority consisting of about 0.6% of the population. The first
Christian settlements in Bengal appeared at the end of the sixteenth century and Bandel
Church, perhaps the first church in eastern India, was built in 1599. In Calcutta,
the first Catholic Chapel was established in 1700. The Roman Catholic Cathedral of
the Most Holy Rosary on Brabourne Road was started in 1797. Calcutta Archdiocese today
has over 141,000 Catholics 37 parishes and 17 quasi parishes, served by 224 priests
belonging to the diocesan clergy and 10 religious orders, along with 125 brothers
and some 950 religious Sisters.