ASIA/INDIA - New Bishop of Bellary appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on March 15, 2008, appointed Fr. Henry D’Souza, of the clergy of Mangalore and executive secretary of the media office of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, as bishop of Bellary (India).
The bishop-elect was born September 9, 1949 in Kinnigoly, Diocese of Mangalore. Following the completion of his primary schooling in his hometown and secondary education at the Pompeya High School in Kirem, he attended St. Aloysius College in Mangalore and studied theology at St. Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary in Mangalore. He was ordained a priest on May 5, 1976, for the Diocese of Mangalore. He has since ministered as follows: 1976-78: parish vicar at St. Peter’s Church in Bakur; 1978-80: Vice-director of the Mangala Jyothi Diocesan Biblical, Catechetical, and Liturgical Center; 1980-1989: Director of the Canara Communication Center; 1989-93: Undersecretary for the Mass Media Committee of the CBCI; 1989-2000: Secretary of the Committee for Proclamation, Ecumenism, Dialogue and Social Communications of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops' Council; 1991-2000: Founder and Director of the Sandesha Regional Center; since 2000: Secretary if the Mass Media Committee for the CBCI.
In addition, he has worked as: Secretary of the Mangalore Christian Council, an ecumenical organization (1984-1990); President of the Indian section of the Catholic International Association for Radio y Television (UNDA) (1986-1992); Representative for Asia and Member of the Board of Management of UNDA-world (1989-1990); Founder of the Karnataka Kala Kendra, School for Fine Arts (1990); President of the Lions Club of Kulshekar (1992-1994); Lions District Chairman on cultural activities (1993-1994); Vice-president of the Darshan Film Society, 1995-1995); Secretary of the Association for Communal Harmony (1991-1995); Founder of the Sandesha College of Fine Arts (1998); Memeber of Signis - Asia Projects Screening Committee, since 2000.
The Diocese of Bellary is a suffragate diocese of the Archdiocese of Bangalore and was established in 1949. It has an area of 24,973 sq. km, population 4,590,000, Catholics 26,328, priests 79, religious men not priests 141, religious women 176, major seminarians 25. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2008; righe 31, parole 336)