Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Pope Benedict XVI on 10 February 2007 elevated the Apostolic Prefecture of Nepal (Nepal) to the rank of Apostolic Vicariate, with the same name and territory. The Holy Father appointed Rev. Anthony Francis Sharma, S.I first Apostolic Vicar Nepal (Nepal), assigning to him the titular See of Gigti. Until now Rev. Sharma was Apostolic Prefect of Nepal.
Fr. Anthony Francis Sharma, S.I., was born in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, 12 December 1937. He entered the Society of Jesus on 28 July 1956 and was ordained a priest on 4 May 1968. For several years he taught in Catholic schools in Darjeeling (India), and at the time of his appointment as Ecclesiastic Superior of Nepal Catholic Mission on 9 April 1984, was Rector of St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling. On 8 November 1996, the Missio sui iuris of Nepal was elevated as an Apostolic Prefecture and Fr. Sharma became first Apostolic Prefect.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal has an area of 147,181 sq km., with a population of about 23,700,000, including 6,681 Catholics. There are 5 parishes, 2 quasi parishes, 6 mission stations and 22 sub-stations, served by 11 diocesan priests and 40 religious and 112 women religious. There are 5 major seminarians and 44 institutes of Catholic education and 16 charity centres. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/2/2007; Righe 16; Parole 235)
