Mumbai gets two auxiliary bishops

Bombay is considered the most populous Catholic diocese in India having 521,000 Catholics, 591 priests and 10 permanent deacons.

The newly named auxiliary bishops Fernandes and Rodrigues

Mumbai:  Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed two auxiliary bishops for the archdiocese of Bombay to assist its Cardinal Oswald Gracias.

The new prelates are Father Savio Dominic Fernandes, currently the archdiocesan chancellor, and Father John Rodrigues, dean of St. Pius X College at Goregaon, Bombay.

Bombay is considered the most populous Catholic diocese in India having 521,000 Catholics, 591 priests and 10 permanent deacons.

In 2010, Cardinal Gracias suffered from a rare cancer and underwent surgeries and is currently said to be cancer-free though this illness affected his body making him thin.

On 13 April, Pope Francis appointed him to a group cardinals established to advise him on revising the Roman Curia. The work could take his time and energy away from the diocese.

Three auxiliary bishops normally serves the archdiocese, but it currently has only one--Auxiliary bishop Agnelo Rufino Gracias. Two others, Percival Fernandez, 77, and Bosco Penha, 76, retired upon reaching the canonical retirement age of 75.

Bishop-elect Fernandes was born in Mumbai in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1989. Since ordination he has served in several pastoral, judicial, and administrative roles. He is chancellor since 2010.

Pope Francis has assigned him the Titular See of Cozila, Vatican Information Service said.

Bishop-elect Rodrigues was born in Mumbai in 1967 and was ordained a priest in 1998. Since ordination he has served in several pastoral and academic roles.

He is dean of studies at St. Pius X College in Goregaon since 2011. He is assigned to the Titular See of Deulto.