By Matters India Reporter
Bengaluru, July 8, 2023: Pope Francis on July 8 appointed Father Ferdinand Dkhar, as the bishop of Jowai in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya.
The 59-year-old bishop elect is currently the administrator of the diocese of Jowai.
Bishop elect Dkhar was born February 26, 1962, in Longkaluh, a parish under the diocese. After attending the minor seminary in Upper Shillong, Meghalaya, he studied Philosophy at Christ King College and Theology at Oriens Theological College in the Archdiocese of Shillong. He was ordained a priest on January 23, 1994, for Jowai diocese.
A press release from the Conference of Catholic Bishops in India says the bishop-elect has held the following offices: dean of studies at the minor seminary of Shillong (1994-1995); assistant parish priest of the Annunciation Church, Namdong (1995-2000); assistant parish priest (2000-2002) and then parish priest (2002-2007) of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ummulong; parish priest of the Annunciation Church and principal of a high school in Namdong (2007-2009); Procurator of the Diocese of Jowai (2009-2021). From 2021 until now he has been diocesan administrator of Jowai.
Jowai diocese became vacant when Bishop Victor Lyngdoh was appointed as the Archbishop of Shillong on December 28, 2020. Father Dkhar will be the third bishop of the diocese after Bishops Vincent Kympat (2006-2011) and Victor Lyngdoh (20116-2020).
The Jowai diocese was erected in 2006, bifurcating the Archdiocese of Shillong. It is situated in Jaiñtia Hills, in the east of Khasi Hills, north of Bangladesh, west of North Cachar Hills, and South of Karbi Anglong in Meghalaya. It is 64 km southeast of Shillong, capital of Meghalaya.
The diocese has 120,275 Catholics in 23 parishes, served by 30 diocesan and 41 religious priests, 83 religious sisters, and 313 educational institutions.