Bangalore 30 April 2022 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Nirmol Vincent Gomes (63), S.D.B., currently the Assistant Director of Novices and Vice-Rector of the Nazareth Bhawan Novitiate, Dhajea, as Bishop of Krishnagar, West Bengal. This provision was made public in Rome on Saturday, 30th April, 2022.
Fr. Nirmol Vincent Gomes, S.D.B., was born on 8th February, 1959, in Ranaghat, in the Diocese of Krishnagar. He studied at the Minor Seminary at the Don Bosco School in Bandel. He did his Philosophical studies at the Salesian College in Sonada and received his Theological formation at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome. He did a Licentiate in Pedagogy at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome (1988-1991). He also holds a doctorate in Religious Education from the same Pontifical University (1997-2000).
On 24th May, 1979, he made his religious profession as a Salesian and on 22nd July, 1989, he was ordained Priest in his native parish of Ranaghat. From 1991 to 1997, he served as the Dean of Studies in the Salesian College in Sonada. After doing his Doctorate in 2000, he became the Rector of the Salesian College, Sonada until 2006. He then went to Krishnagar in 2006 as a Confessor in the Don Bosco School and later became its Rector from 2007 to 2009. From 2009-2010, he was the Parish Coadjutor in Bongaon. Afterwards, he became the Vice-Rector of the Salesian College in Siliguri from 2010-2013 and was made Rector of the same college from 2013 to 2014.
In 2014, he was named the Provincial of the Salesian Province of Kolkata, holding this position until 2019. From 2020-2021, he became a Confessor in the Nazareth Bhawan Novitiate in Dhajea. Presently, he is the Assistant Director of Novices and the Vice Rector of the Nazareth Bhawan Novitiate in Dhajea.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI