Five priests ordained for the diocese of Dinajpur during lockdown

In Bangladesh there is a small Catholic community with 500,000 faithful. In 2020, 26 deacons became priests. It is the highest number in the history of the Catholic Church in Bangladesh.

Dinajpur (AsiaNews) - The ordination of five deacons took place on Friday in the cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Dinajpur, in northern Bangladesh.

They include three diocesan priests Fr. Ruben Hasda, Fr. Marchlues Tirki, Fr. Nicholas Basra, Fr. Nitto Anthony Ekka is from Holy Cross, and Fr. Elis Sarkar of the Society of Jesus.

Father Ashish Runia, a priest of the parish of the cathedral of Dinajpur, told AsiaNews that the date of the ordination was different, in 2020. However, due to COVID-19, it was not possible to celebrate the priestly ordination at other times and other places. Therefore, it was decided to celebrate the ordination last Friday with a limited number of participants.

"Only 10 relatives were allowed for each one” - he explained. “But we transmitted the order live on Facebook".

In Bangladesh, the government extended the lockdown until June 16. Educational institutions remain closed.

Fr. Runia says that the number of vocations is sufficient. Every year the number of new believers has increased thanks to the tireless preaching of catechists, nuns and priests. The vocation came from new believers. "There are about 50 seminarians who will be priests in the future," he said.

Bishop Sebastian Tudu of the diocese of Dinajpur celebrated Mass during the ordination. In his homily he said to the new priests: "God has chosen you to preach the Gospel. You are committed to serving the Church. You will have to obey your duties and you will have to do it properly".

"While you were deacons - he said again - you took an oath to be saints and to sanctify others, so be holy first and sanctify others".

Finally, he invited the families of the new priests to continue to support and love their children: "Your children are becoming priests, they need continuous support and love from which to draw inspiration in their religious life".

Some newly ordained priests shared their experience. "While I was a student at school, I understood the life of priests, their life attracted me to become a priest", said Fr. Nicholas Basra, CSC, and Fr. Elish Sarkar, SJ.

The 30-year-old Fr. Nicholas Basra is a new believer in Christ. When he was 3 years old, in 1993, he and his family received baptism. Previously they were Hindu. But, he tells AsiaNews, "I studied in a missionary college and I was able to get in touch with priests and nuns, their holy life, good and kind work, I liked them and since I was a child I had decided to become a priest". He wants to preach among non-Christians, work among young people and want to make family visits.

In Bangladesh there is a small Catholic community with 500,000 faithful. In 2020, 26 deacons became priests. It is the highest number in the history of the Catholic Church in Bangladesh.

The diocese of Dinajpur has over 60,000 Catholics; most are tribal, with 18 parishes.