Bangalore 17 May, 2019 (CCBI): Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Shyamal Bose (58) the clergy of Baruipur diocese as Coadjutor Bishop of Baruipur, West Bengal on Friday, 17 May, 2019. The bishop-designate is currently the diocese’s financial administrator and chancellor, since 2016.
Fr. Shyamal Bose was born in Gosaba in the Diocese of Baruipur, on 24 March, 1961. He joined St. John Mary Vianney’s Minor Seminary, Barasat and then studied at Regional Major Seminary Morning Star, Kolkata, and at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi. He was ordained priest for the diocese of Baruipur on 5 May, 1991. He obtained a Licentiate in Biblical Theology from St. Peter’s Pontifical College, Bangalore (in 2010).
He has served the Diocese in the following ministries: Assistant. Parish Priest, St. Anthony’s Church, Keorapukar (1991-1994); Assistant. Parish Priest, Ascension Church, Khari (1994-1996); Parish Priest, Ascension Church, Khari (1996-1998); Director, Diocesan Social Service Centre Palli Unnayan Samiti (1998-2006); Vicar General and Chancellor of Diocese of Baruipur (2000-2006); Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Church at Thakurpukur (2006-2008).
He was appointed Director of the Regional Social Centre, Association of Bengal Collaborators for Development in 2011. He served as Assistant Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Kumrokhali (2012-2013); Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Kumrokhali (2013-2016).
Pope St Paul VI created the Baruipur diocese on 12 March 1978 from the Archdiocese of Calcutta. The diocese of Baruipur is situated in the South Eastern part of West Bengal with lots of tidal rivers and clusters of islands. The diocese covers an area of 10, 568 square kilometres with a total population of 94, 45, 909 as per the census of 2011. The Catholic population currently is 62,847 as per the year 2018. The language spoken in the territory includes Bengali, English and Hindi.