Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Joypurhat, Bangladesh, with territory taken from the diocese of Rajshahi and the diocese of Dinajpur, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Dhaka.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Paul Gomes, of the clergy of the diocese of Rajshahi, until now rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary of Banani, Dhaka, as first bishop of the newly-erected diocese.
Msgr. Paul Gomes was born on 3 September 1962 in Kharbaria, in the diocese of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. After studying philosophy and theology at Holy Spirit National Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka, he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts at Notre Dame College in Dhaka.
He was ordained a priest on 29 December 1992 for the diocese of Rajshahi.
After ordination, he first held the offices of deputy parish priest at Presentation of the Lord in Surshunipara (1992–1994) and rector of the Intermediate Seminary of Dinajpur (1994-1998). He was awarded a master’s degree and licentiate in dogmatic theology at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, in the Philippines, and went on to serve as rector of Saint Joseph Degree Seminary in Ramna (2000–2002); deputy parish priest of Beneedwar (2000–2002); professor of dogmatic theology (2002-2009) and vice rector (2009-2010) of Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka. After obtaining a diploma psycho-spirituality at the Saint Anselm Institute in Kent, England, he held the roles of parish priest of Virgo Potens in Borni (2010–2016) and the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Rajshahi (2016–2021); vicar general and diocesan consultor of the diocese of Rajshahi (2016-2021); and since 2021, rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 25/3/2026)
