Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Agra appointed New Archbishop of Bombay

ARCHDIOCESAN PRESS RELEASE

14th, October 2006

BOMBAY'S NEXT ARCHBISHOP

We have just received the news that the Holy Father, Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Oswald Gracias as the new Archbishop to the Metropolitan See of Bombay left vacant by the appointment of Cardinal Ivan Dias to head the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples, Rome.

Archbishop Oswald Gracias was born in Mahim, Mumbai, on December 24, 1944 and he did his school studies at St. Michael’s, Mahim. He completed his seminary studies at St. Pius College, Goregaon and was ordained a priest on December 20, 1970. After a short stint as Chancellor to the Diocese of Jamshedpur and Secretary to its bishop, he returned to Mumbai. From 1977 to 1981, he was in Rome where he obtained the Doctorate in Canon Law and a Diploma in Jurisprudence. He returned to Mumbai where he was first appointed Secretary to the Archbishop of Bombay and Chancellor of the Archdiocese. In 1997, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. He was ordained a bishop on 16th September 1997 at St. Michael’s, Mahim taking as his motto, “To Reconcile All Things in Christ”. Archbishop Ivan Dias was the chief consecrator. On that occasion, two Cardinals, twenty four Archbishops and Bishops from different parts of the country and over three hundred priests concelebrated at the Eucharist. In the year 2000, he was appointed Archbishop of Agra.

As the Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, Archbishop Oswald Gracias was Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI). Currently, he is the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). His appointment is truly a joyous homecoming, and the Archdiocese welcomes back a son of the city, a Mumbaikar!

Sd/-

Fr. Anthony Charanghat
Official Spokesperson
Catholic Church
Archdiocese of Bombay
Mumbai