The Congregation of Holy Cross recently welcomed with great delight three Holy Cross religious to the presbyteral ministry in India and Bangladesh.

Fr. Friny Peter, C.S.C., was ordained to the priesthood on December 29, 2020, at St. Joseph Cathedral in Impahl, India. The day was especially memorable for Fr. Friny and his family in that he was ordained in the same ceremony with his brother, Augustine, a Salesian religious.

The Most Rev. Dominic Lumon, Archbishop of Imphal, presided at the Rite of Ordination for the two brothers, in the presence of other Holy Cross and Salesian priests, family, and friends. A small reception followed the ceremony.  

Fr. Friny is assigned to Holy Cross Parish, Koloriang, Arunachal Pradesh, where he will serve as Assistant Parish Priest.

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The following day, across the border in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province celebrated the ordinations of Fr. Badhon Hilarious Rozario, C.S.C., and Fr. Timon Innocent Gomes, C.S.C. They, along with four diocesan priests, were ordained by newly installed Archbishop of Dhaka, the Most Rev. Bejoy N. Cruz. On the eve of the ordination, the traditional blessing and purification ceremony with turmeric took place at the Archbishop’s house.

In his homily, Archbishop Cruz emphasized the necessity of holiness in the priesthood. “People have high expectations of priests,” he said. “A priest should be holy and must be as holy as Jesus.”

The concelebrants included the Most Rev. Theotonius Gomes, C.S.C., Auxiliary Bishop-emeritus of Dhaka and the Most Rev. Shorot Francis Gomes, Auxiliary Bishop of Dhaka. They were joined by with over 100 other Holy Cross, religious, and diocesan priests. Approximately 350 people attended the ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Dhaka.

A felicitation program for the newly ordained was held after the Mass, which was then followed by lunch.

Fr. Gomes will begin his priestly ministry at Our Lady of Presentation Church, Bolipara, Bandarban, while Fr. Rozario will serve at Holy Cross Church, Dhaka.