John Rodrigues Explained

Honorific Prefix:His Excellency
Type:archbishop
John Rodrigues
Coadjutor Archbishop of Bombay
Church:Roman Catholic Church
Diocese:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
Appointed:30 November 2024
Residence:Bishop's House, Pune, India
Alma Mater:St Pius X College Mumbai
Motto:Building Up The Body of Christ

John Rodrigues (born 21 August 1967) is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who was named coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bombay on 30 November 2024. He was Bishop of Poona from March 2023 until that date and previously served as an auxiliary bishop of Bombay for ten years.

Biography

John Rodrigues was born on 21 August 1967 in the Bandra suburb of Mumbai.[1] He and his two older brothers became priests, one of them a Jesuit.[2] Their father Late Stanley Rodrigues died in 1975 and they were raised by their widowed mother Corinne, who was a leader of the Marriage Encounter movement with her husband and founded a charity to support widows.[3] [4] John Rodrigues earned a bachelor of science degree in physics at Mumbai University and a bachelor's in philosophy and theology at St. Pius X College in Goregaon, a Mumbai suburb. One of his seminary teachers was Oswald Gracias, later Cardinal Archbishop of Bombay.[5]

He was ordained a priest on 18 April 1998. Following ordination he served for a year as assistant priest at St. Michael's in Mahim and then for a year as assistant to the archbishop. He spent the next two years studying in Rome, earning a licentiate in systematic theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in 2002. Returning to Mumbai, he taught systematic theology at St Pius X College from 2002 to 2011, serving also as the school's group moderator from 2003 to 2013 and dean of studies from 2011 to 2013. He was named rector of the college, but served only a few weeks before being named a bishop. Alongside his academic work, he served the archdiocese as secretary of the priests council from 2010 to 2013 and as coordinator for the Year of Faith in 2012/13.[1]

Pope Francis named him auxiliary bishop of Bombay on 15 May 2013.[6] He received his episcopal consecration on 29 June 2013 from Cardinal Oswald Gracias, with co-consecrators Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa e Daman, and Agnelo Rufino Gracias, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. He chose as his episcopal motto "Building Up The Body of Christ".[1] At the end of his term as auxiliary he headed the deaneries for Bandra and Borivali and rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount in Bandra.[1]

Pope Francis appointed him bishop of Poona on 25 March 2023.[7] He was installed there on 24 May.[8]

Pope Francis named him coadjutor archbishop of Bombay on 30 November 2024.[9] His installation as coadjutor is scheduled for 25 January 2025.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1 December 2024 . Archdiocese of Bombay . Auxiliary Bishop John Rodrigues . https://web.archive.org/web/20240910175026/https://www.archdioceseofbombay.org/bishop-john-rodrigues . 10 September 2024 . live.
  2. News: 30 November 2024 . Matters India . Pune Diocese Gets New Bishop . 26 March 2023 .
  3. News: 30 November 2024 . Mumbai: Corinne Rodrigues, a widowed mother who inspired the vocation of three children . Asia News . Nirmala . Carvalho . 8 March 2017 .
  4. News: 1 December 2024 . Vocation to priesthood – inspiration and mystery . Living in Faith . 18 January 2018 . Binu . Alexander .
  5. Web site: 3 December 2024 . A message from H.E. Oswald Cardinal Gracias - November 30, 2024 . Archdiocese of Bombay . 30 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241203150027/https://www.archdioceseofbombay.org/post/a-message-from-h-e-oswald-cardinal-gracias-november-30-2024 . 3 December 2024 . live.
  6. Rinunce e Nomine, 15.05.2013 . 15 May 2013. 30 November 2024 . Holy See Press Office . it .
  7. Resignations and Appointments, 25.03.2023 . 25 March 2023 . 30 November 2024 . Holy See Press Office .
  8. News: Times of India . 30 November 2024 . John Rodrigues Is New Bishop Of Poona Diocese . 25 May 2023 . Steffy . Thevar.
  9. Resignations and Appointments, 30.11.2024 . 30 November 2024 . 30 November 2024 . Holy See Press Office .
  10. Web site: 30 November 2024 . Press Note – 30 November 2024 . Archdiocese of Bombay .