Media Release
Nagpur, Jan 27: Fr Aquin Noronha OP has been re-elected as the Rector of St Charles Major Seminary, Nagpur for the second term. He hails from a family of six children from Shankerpura (Pangla) in the diocese of Mangalore.
Having completed his Licentiate at the University of Santa Croche (The Holy Cross) in Rome, Fr. Aquin began to teach Church History at St Charles Seminary, Nagpur. He also worked in South Africa as a missionary for 5 years.
Fr. Aquin is not only an excellent teacher and preacher but also a talented musician and singer. Currently, he also serves as Vice-Provincial and provincial Councillor as well as Prior of St. Albert’s Priory at Nagpur.
St Charles Seminary is an inter-diocesan seminary that belongs to the Archdiocese of Nagpur and is under the care of the Dominican priests of India. In 1959 the Irish Dominicans came to India to take charge of the seminary requested by His Grace Eugene D’Souza, then Archbishop of Nagpur. Archbishop Elias Gonsalves is the present Patron.
The institution has formed more than a thousand priests and 20 bishops: some are archbishops and one Nuncio. Presently, there are over 228 seminarians out of which 158 are residents and 69 non-residents. The seminarians belong to about 40 dioceses of north and central India and 9 religious congregations.
The students belong to three rites: Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, and Latin. The formation program at St. Charles Seminary spans for seven years. The first three years are spent in learning philosophy together with graduation from St. Francis de Sales College. The subsequent four years are spent studying theology.
We wish Fr. Aquin all the best in his future endeavours.