Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Varanasi, Oct 16: Bishop Patrick Paul D' Souza, bishop Emeritus of Diocese of Varanasi passed away on Thursday October 16 at 9.45 a.m.

Funeral will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 18 in Varanasi.

Bishop Patrick with his brother Liyab's family in Mangalore

Bishop Patrick Paul D’Souza was born on April 28, 1928 at Bendur in Mangalore as one among 15 children to his parents. He had joined the minor seminary at Ajmer at the age of only 12 years. Bishop Patrick did his college and Latin studies in Ajmer before proceeding to Mangalore for Philosophy studies at Jeppu Seminary. For his Theology, he was sent to Rome in 1950.

He was ordained a priest on December 20, 1953. The bishop did doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1956.

In Ajmer, he was the Principal of a College and from there he was appointed as the Secretary General of the CBCI (Catholic Bishops Conference of India).

He was nominated as Bishop of newly created Varanasi Gorakhpur on June 5, 1970 and ordained as Bishop on August 8, 1970. He was the youngest Bishop to be appointed at that time.

Besides heading the diocese, he served the church in India in several capacities. He was the Chairman for the CBCI Commission for Social Communications, and has been instrumental in the founding of the National Institute of Social Communications, Research and Training (NISCORT).

After 37 years of pastoral services, he had retired as bishop on February 24, 2007. Well known Konkani poet Leo D’Souza from Bendur, Mangalore is the brother of the deceased bishop.