Catholic Church in Bangladesh

Last updated

The Catholic Church in Bangladesh is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. As of 2016, there are approximately 350,000, approximately 0.2 percent of the population of Bangladesh. [1] About 60% of Catholics come from "tribals", members of minority tribes. [2] By 2022, there were 400,000 Catholics in the country. [3] Bangladesh is otherwise a predominantly Muslim country.

Contents

In 1598, the first priest arrived in Bangladesh accompanying the Portuguese. [2]

As of 2017, the country is made up of eight dioceses including two archdioceses. Patrick D'Rozario was the country's first ever cardinal. [1] [4] He retired in 2020. [5]

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, founded in 1971, is the General Body of the Ordinaries of Bangladesh. The purpose of this Conference is to facilitate common policy and action in matters that affect or are liable to affect the interest of the Catholic Church in Bangladesh and to be of service to the country at large. Pope John Paul II visited Dhaka in November 1986.

The U.S. State Department and human rights groups have cited Bangladesh as a nation of concern with regards to violence against religious minorities, including Hindus and Christians. A notable incident of violence against Christians was a 2001 bomb attack on a Catholic church during Sunday Mass, killing nine and maiming dozens. [6] Since the rise of al-Qaida and ISIS, violence, threats and various forms of oppression against non-Muslims have increased in Bangladesh, and a 2014 State Department report noted insufficient government efforts to protect religious minorities. In January 2014, homes were set ablaze and eight Catholics were injured, allegedly for exercising their right to vote in the nation's parliamentary elections[ citation needed ]. In July 2014, a mob of 60 stormed a Catholic convent, where they proceeded to beat up nuns and a priest. [7] In April 2015, a mob attacked churchgoers and stabbed a priest during Easter Mass[ citation needed ]. In December 2015, three adult siblings in a Catholic family were attacked while inside their home. Two of them were injured critically. [8] In early February 2016, a group of 20 raided a church and a convent at night. Nuns were beaten and property was looted[ citation needed ]. In July 2016, nearly two dozen people were killed by gunman during an attack on a popular restaurant in Dhaka where Christians and other non-Muslims, mostly foreigners, were known to frequent.

Pope Francis visited Bangladesh in November 2017. [1]

Organisation

In 2023, there are 41 bishops in the country. [9] There also over 400 priests and 1000 nuns. [10]

The Apostolic Nuncio, or papal ambassador, normally a Titular Archbishop, heads the Apostolic Nunciature (the Vatican's embassy), to Bangladesh. Archbishop George Kocherry was the Apostolic Nuncio to Bangladesh from 2013 to 2022. [11]

The Catholic Church is noted that the second largest provider of education in the country, with approximately 270 schools. [12]

Dioceses in Bangladesh

Dioceses in Bangladesh:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Bangladesh</span>

Christians in Bangladesh account for 0.30% of the nation's population as of 2022 census. Together with Judaism and Buddhism, they account for 1% of the population. Islam accounts for 91.04% of the country's religion, followed by Hinduism at 7.95% as per 2022 census.

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests, and deacons. In the ecclesiological sense of the term, "hierarchy" strictly means the "holy ordering" of the church, the Body of Christ, so to respect the diversity of gifts and ministries necessary for genuine unity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengali Christians</span> Group of Christians from Bengali

Bengali Christians are adherents of Christianity among the Bengali people. Christianity took root in Bengal after the arrival of Portuguese voyagers in the 16th century. It witnessed further conversions among the Bengali upper-caste elite during the 19th century Bengali Renaissance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Norway</span>

The Catholic Church in Norway is part of the worldwide Catholic Church. As of May 2014, there were over 151,000 registered Catholics in Norway. It is claimed there are many Catholics who are not registered with their personal identification number and who are not reported by the local church; the full number may be as high as 230,000, 70% of whom were born abroad. That constitutes about 5% of the population, making Norway the most Catholic country in Nordic Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Turkey</span>

The Catholic Church in Turkey is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and the canonical leadership of the curia in Rome that is submitted to the Pope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago</span>

The Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The Apostolic Nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago is, since November 2017, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, who is also Apostolic Nuncio to other independent states and Apostolic Delegate to the Antilles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Suriname</span>

The Catholic Church in Suriname is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, and is under the spiritual leadership of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Mongolia</span> Christian church in the Asian country

The Catholic Church in Mongolia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Iran</span> Part of the Catholic Church located in Iran

The Catholic Church in Iran is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Laos</span>

The Catholic Church in Laos is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. The Catholic Church is officially recognized by the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Malaysia</span>

The Catholic Church in Malaysia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. The apostolic nuncio to Malaysia is currently Archbishop Wojciech Załuski, who was appointed on 22 September 2020; The resident ambassador of Malaysia to the Holy See is Westmoreland Anak Edward Palon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockholm</span> Catholic diocese in Sweden

The Diocese of Stockholm is an exempt Latin Catholic ecclesiastical bishopric in Sweden and the only Catholic diocese established in Sweden since the Protestant Reformation. The diocese belongs to no ecclesiastical province but forms an episcopal conference with its Nordic neighbours. Its territory includes 44 parishes and covers the entire country of Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Pakistan

The Archdiocese of Karachi is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Pakistan. It was erected on 20 May 1948 under as a then-suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Bombay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishops in the Catholic Church</span> Ordained ministers of the Catholic Church

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders and is responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in his jurisdiction, sanctifying the world and representing the Church. Catholics trace the origins of the office of bishop to the apostles, who it is believed were endowed with a special charism and office by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Catholics believe this special charism and office has been transmitted through an unbroken succession of bishops by the laying on of hands in the sacrament of holy orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Bangladesh

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka is the Latin, main Metropolitan Metropolitan diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Bangladesh, but no longer the only one. It still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chittagong</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Bangladesh

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chittagong, renamed Chattogram on 28 December 2018, is an archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Bangladesh. The Archdiocese of Chittagong is the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province of Chittagong, which includes the suffragan dioceses of Roman Catholic Diocese of Khulna and Roman Catholic Diocese of Barisal, both in Bangladesh. However it remains dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Gallagher (bishop)</span> Roman Catholic archbishop

Paul Richard Gallagher, is a British prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Secretary for Relations with States within the Holy See's Secretariat of State since November 2014. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1984 and held the rank of archbishop and apostolic nuncio since 2004, serving as nuncio in Burundi, Guatemala, and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of Eupen-Malmedy</span> Roman Catholic diocese in Belgium (1919-1925)

The diocese of Eupen-Malmedy is a former Belgian Latin Roman Catholic diocese, which existed between 1919 and 1925, and included the East Cantons.

Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze O.M.I. is a Bangladeshi prelate of the Catholic Church who has been archbishop of Dhaka since 2020. He held positions of responsibility in his order, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, before serving as bishop of Khulna from 2005 to 2011 and bishop of Sylhet from 2011 to 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Carvalho, Nirmala (9 October 2016). "Bangladesh cardinal calls appointment both blessing and challenge". Crux. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 Lubov, Deborah Castellano (22 November 2016). "Interview: New Bangladesh Cardinal 'Dumbfounded' by Pope's Gesture". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  3. ↑ US State Dept 2022 report
  4. ↑ Harris, Elise (19 November 2016). "For Bangladesh's new cardinal, papal visit will boost faith". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 30.09.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "Bangladesh church bomb kills nine". BBC News. 3 June 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Women religious attacked in Bangladesh". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  8. ↑ Corraya, Sumon. "Dhaka, brutal attack on Catholic brothers leaves them fighting for life". AsiaNews.it. PIME. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  9. ↑ Catholic Hierarchy website, retrieved 2023-08-28
  10. ↑ Catholics and Culture website, retrieved 2023-08-08
  11. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 24.08.2022" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  12. ↑ US State Dept 2022 report
  13. ↑ "Pope Francis has erected the new Diocese of Barisal". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.