By C.M. Paul
Kolkata: Archbishop Emeritus Lucas Sirkar of Calcutta and founder of two religious institutes, died April 18. He was 84.
“Dear Confreres, this is to convey another sad news, that of the passing away of Most Rev. Lucas Sirkar SDB, Archbishop Emeritus of Archdiocese of Kolkata, at 1 pm on Sunday 18 April, 2021, at Aradhana Mandir, Krishnagar due to cardiac arrest,” says a message from Calcutta Salesian provincial secretary Father Jacob Iruppakaattu.
His funeral will take place at 10.am on April 20 at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Redeemer at Krishnagar.
He was born on September 24, 1936, at Barisal in Bangladesh. He was ordained a priest for the Salesian congregation on April 20, 1968. He was priest for 52 years and bishop for 36 years.
Archbishop Sirkar founded the Adoration Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sadhan (prayerful or ascetic) Brothers.
He was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Calcutta from 2002 to 2012 and the bishop of Krishnagar from 1984 to 2000.
Pope John Paul 11 appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of Calcutta on April 14, 2000. He succeeded Archbishop Henry Sebastian D’Souza of Calcutta who retired on April 2, 2002.
On February 23, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Archbishop Sirkar’s request for resignation, citing advanced age.
On retirement, Archbishop Sirkar spent several years as a priest and member of the Salesian community of Bandel Basilica ministering to pilgrims at historical Marian shrine of Our Lady of Happy Voyage.
In his last days, he retired to Mother House of the Adoration Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary that he founded in 1986 as the Krishnagar bishop.
The Adoration Brothers of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was established in Krishnagar on June 11, 2012, when Archbishop Sirkar accepted five men as members.
The two congregations do not seek pontifical status as they were founded to serve the local Church. They are also designed to be self-supporting and would not rely on the diocese.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata once asked Bishop Sirkar to have religious engaged in Eucharistic adoration in each parish. The two congregations are his answer to her request.
The charism of these men aged 20 to 27 who call themselves Sadhan (prayerful or ascetic) Brothers is to pray and to work.
They work mainly in Krishnagar diocese comprising of Nadia and Murshidabad districts to train youths in vocational skills such as cattle-rearing, carpentry, farming, welding, pisciculture and driving.
With a spirituality of ”contemplation in action,” the congregation members spend three-and-half hours in daily prayer and Eucharistic adoration.