By Francis Sunil Rosario
Ranchi, March 20, 2024: More than 10,000 people turned up for the installation of the seventh archbishop of Ranchi, the mother diocese of India’s tribal Church.
Jesuit Archbishop Felix Toppo, who retired as the Ranchi archbishop, on March 19 installed Archbishop Vincent Aind in the presence of Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta.
Archbishops, bishops, clergy, nuns, brothers and the laity from Jharkhand and neighboring states attended the installation ceremonies at Loyola Grounds on Fr. Camile Bulke Road (former Purulia Road).
Archbishop Aind was until now the bishop of Bagdogra, a diocese in the neighboring state of West Bengal.
His motto “Remain in me, as I in you” (Jn 15:4) was displayed prominently as the backdrop of the stage.
Archbishop Vincent’s family came from North Bengal, Jalpaiguri and Bagdogra, where he served as the second bishop since 2015.
On December 30, 2023, Pope Francis promoted him as the Ranchi archbishop.
Presently, Archbishop Vincent is the chairman of the CCBI Commission for theology and doctrine and a member of the executive committee and editorial team of the Association of Christian Philosophers of India (ACPI).
The staff of Morning Star Regional Seminary in West Bengal attended the ceremony in large numbers to show their solidarity with Archbishop Vincent, who has served the seminary for nearly two decades as spiritual director, rector, dean of philosophy and principal.
Archbishop Emeritus Toppo thanked God for the gift of Archbishop Aind.
Romola Horo, a woman leader of Ranchi, welcomed the gathering saying, “Today is the day of God’s love and abundant blessings.”
She narrated briefly the history of mission of Chotanagpur and Ranchi archdiocese in particular. She spoke on the gradual growth of the mission and in its cultural and pastoral context. She recalled the words of late Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi, “May the fire of mission keep burning.”
The Catholic faith took roots in Chotanagpur on July 10, 1869, through Belgian Jesuit missionary Father Agustus Stockman among the Ho tribal community in Chaibasa, now under Jamshedpur diocese.
One of the pioneering missionaries was Father Constance Livens, who is now revered as the Apostle of Chotanagpur.
Father Baptist Hoffman in 1908 helped tribal people to claim ownership of their land and property. Until May 25, 1927, the Chotanagpur mission was under Calcutta Archdiocese. Pope Pius XI created Ranchi diocese in that year and appointed Jesuit Father Louis Vanhock as its first bishop.
On September 19, 1953, Ranchi was raised as an archdiocese with Jesuit Father Nicholas Kujur, the first Adivasi, as the archbishop. Jesuit Father Pius Kerketta succeeded him followed by Telesphore Toppo, who was then the Dumka bishop.