50 years of Bangladesh National Seminary

On the occasion of World Vocations Day, half a century of life of the Major Seminary of the Holy Spirit was celebrated, which has trained 445 priests, as well as numerous religious and lay people. Card D'Rozario: “It is a great gift from God and the heart of our local Church in Bangladesh.”

Dhaka () – On April 19, on the eve of World Vocations Day, the Major Seminary of the Holy Spirit of Bonani, in Dhaka, the only seminary in Bangladesh, celebrated its 50th anniversary along with the contribution offered by this institution to the construction of the local Church. More than 800 Catholics were present at the celebration, including 250 priests and nine bishops.

At the celebrations, presided over by Bishop Emmanuel K. Rozario, bishop of Barisal and president of the Episcopal Commission for the seminar, Archbishop Kevin S. Randall, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh, and the archbishop of Dhaka, Bishop Bejoy N, were present as guests. .D'Cruze.

The National Seminary of Bangladesh was officially born on August 23, 1973, and was inaugurated by the future Cardinal Edward Cassidy, then representative of the Vatican in Bangladesh, with a mass in the cathedral church of Ramna in Dhaka. It began to operate in the Mathis House, with 6 professors and 5 seminarians. Over 50 years the Seminary of the Holy Spirit has trained 987 students and 445 of them were ordained priests and later 9 bishops. Along with them, 83 consecrated lay people and 11 religious women also received their formation at the seminary. A total of 103 professors have contributed directly to the work throughout these decades.

During the solemn mass on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, the main celebrant, Card. Partick D'Rozario, archbishop emeritus of Dhaka, said the Holy Spirit Major Seminary was “a great gift of God's grace” and “the heart of the Church of Christ in Bangladesh.” Through this institution, Bangladesh is walking as a local Church. “After being trained here – he said – the priests, men and women religious of Bangladesh are providing leadership service in the Church. And you, the students present here, will also have to follow the example of the Good Shepherd, carrying within you the smell of the sheep and preparing to form a synodal Church.”

Monsignor Emmanuel K. Rozario, bishop of Barisal and president of the Episcopal Commission for the seminary, recalled the contribution that this institution has offered and pointed out that today Bangladeshi priests “shepherd the flock that has been entrusted to them, in their country and also abroad.” of the; others are serving in various ways for the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. That is why we glorify and praise the Lord and join hands to walk and work together with renewed commitment for a better formation of our future priests.”

Archbishop Bejoy N. D'Cruze, president of the Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, recalled that when the seminary did not exist, future priests had to go to West Pakistan or other countries to train. After the liberation war, the creation of the seminary was one of the bishops' priorities 50 years ago. “It has helped – he added – to train not only priests, but also religious and lay people who work in pastoral care.”

For his part, the apostolic nuncio Mons. Randall explained that in a seminar “training is not only about reading books, but also how to put what we have learned into practice and exercise pastoral ministry in the name of the Lord, not our own. A task that requires an open heart and a personal testimony, despite our frailties.”

Shymol Gomes, a layman and banker, also wanted to publicly express his gratitude to the National Seminary of Bangladesh. “I had the opportunity to study here,” he said. And although I did not become a priest, I was successful in my family and professional life thanks to the quality training that the seminary provided me.”

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