Bangladeshi Bishop D'Rozario of Khulna dies at 91

Retired Bishop Michael Atul  D'Rozario of Khulna died Feb. 24 in a Dhaka hospital after suffering from various chronic ailments. He was 91.

A requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Mary's Cathedral in Dhaka later on Feb 24. A funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 25 at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Khulna followed by his burial there.

Bishop D'Rozario was born Nov. 23, 1925 in Noyansree in Dhaka. He entered Little Flower Seminary in Bandura, Hashnabad, in 1939. He was ordained a priest on June 10, 1953, at the Sacred Heart Church of Indiana in the United States.

He served in various pastoral roles including parish priest, president of Caritas, editor of the national Catholic weekly Pratibeshi and a philosophy professor at the church-run Notre Dame College. Pope Paul VI appointed him bishop of Khulna on Sept. 21, 1970, the post he served until his retirement in 2005.

Bishop D'Rozario who was a priest for 62 years and a bishop for 45 years,  is highly lauded for his concern  for the poor.

"Bishop Michael had unique concern for the downtrodden communities, for their development and dignity in society. His love for the poor is an encouraging lesson for all," said Benedict Alo D'Rozario, Caritas Bangladesh executive director. (UCAN)