Nagpur: Hundreds of people came together in the central Indian town of Nagpur on Monday to celebrate the 39th Episcopal anniversary of the country’s senior most Catholic prelate.

Priests, nuns and lay leaders who attended the anniversary Mass and felicitations hailed Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur as a “great visionary with never ending mission spirit” who has served the Indian Church in various capacities.

In his homily, the archbishop stressed the need to preach the contemplative Christ who knew his mission. “To preach Christ in the Indian context we need to have the courage and desire to do what we are convinced and committed to do,” he told the gathering.

Nagpur Religious

When appointed in 1977as bishop of the newly created diocese of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh state, he was just 34 years old and the youngest prelate in India.

He also became the 100th Indian Catholic bishop since the establishment of the Indian hierarchy in 1886.

Born on on June 5, 1943, in Kerala, he joined seminary in Indore after high school studies in 1960. He was ordained a priest on October 28, 1969 after priestly studies at St Charles Seminary, Nagpur.

After ordination, he worked among Gond tribal for eight years. Observing his simplicity that drew people to him and hard work, the Pope chose him to head new and predominantly tribal diocese of Khandwa.

During his two-decade long work in Khandwa, the helped local Christians to bond with their Hindu and Muslim neighbors.

One of her visits to Khandwa, Blessed Mother Teresa commended the young and dynamic prelate for his proficiency in language that helped him reach out to thousands and transform their lives.

After serving Khandwa for 21 years, he was promoted as the metropolitan archbishop of Nagpur on April 22, 1998. He began his mission in Nagpur archdiocese with the Motto “Radiating Christ’s Light.’

Nagpur archdiocese has seen dramatic changes in its service to local people.
In the past 39 years as a bishop Archbishop Viruthakulangara has served as the first chairman of the youth commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in 1986. He was the chairman of the Western Region Bishops’ Council (Comprising bishops of Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat states) from 1998 to 2004.

He is a member of the governing board of St. John’s Academy of Health Science (Medical College and Hospital), Bangalore. He is now the Ecclesiastical adviser of Jesus Youth (International Organization for Youth).

In all these post, he has proved to be an effective leader, inspirer, educationist, visionary and above all a man of God.