Pope Francis on Friday appointed Rev. Fr. Ignatius D' Souza, vicar general of the diocese of Lucknow, as the new bishop of Bareilly succeeding Bishop Anthony Fernandes whose resignation has been accepted. 

The appointment of the new Bishop was announced simultaneously in Rome, Bareilly and Lucknow at 3.30pm on July 11, 2014.

Rev. Fr. Ignatius D' Souza was born on August 4, 1964 to late CL D' Souza and Lucy D' Souza in a family of five boys and seven girls at Basrikatte, diocese of Chikmagalur. 

Since 1993, they belong to St. Dominic Parish, Ashoknagar in Mangalore. After high school education at Kadur, he joined St. Paul's Minor Seminary with the view of becoming a priest for the diocese of Lucknow. He completed philosophical and theological studies at St. Joseph's Regional Seminary in Allahabad. He was ordained by late Archbishop Cecil De Sa on April 7, 1991 at St. Joseph's Cathedral Lucknow. 

The Bishop-elect holds a BTh degree from St. Joseph's Regional Seminary, a BA and an MA in public administration from Annamalai University. He obtained licentiate in Biblical studies from the Pontifical Gregorian University and Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. 

The Bishop-elect started his priestly life as the assistant priest at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Lucknow and for two years he was vice-principal of Cathedral School (1991-1993); then he was appointed Professor at St. Paul's Minor Seminary (1994). He procured licentiate in Biblical studies in Rome (1994-1998). Subsequently he was assistant and vice-principal at St. Anthony's, Barabanki (1999).

After a three-year stint as the director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre (2000-2003), he obtained doctorate in Biblical Theology from Pontifical Urban University in Rome (2003-2006). 

The Bishop-elect was assigned at the cathedral for a second time (2007). 

Since 2008 he served as the parish priest of cathedral and vicar general of the diocese. 

He was also appointed the director of clergy home in 2014. 

From 1999 he was visiting professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Joseph's Regional Seminary, Allahabad. 

He worked as the director of ecumenism and inter religious dialogue during 2008-2014 and was well known among the Christian denominations and people of other Faiths in Lucknow. 

The Bishop-elect was instrumental in building a school for blind people at Mohanlalganj, Lucknow.

 

Source: TOI