Kolkata’s former Archbishop Henry D’Souza passes away

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata, June 28, 2016:  Former Archbishop Henry Sebastian D’Souza of Kolkata passed away Jume 27, Monday following age-related illness. He was 90.

The prelate died in his home peacefully, Archbishop Thomas D’Souza told PTI. An educationist and active in Church-related work, he was the Archbishop of Kolkata from 1986 till his retirement in 2002.

Archbishop D’Souza was well-known internationally as he was leading the archdiocese when Mother Teresa served and died. Later on he played crucial roles in initiating the process of her canonization. The canonization is scheduled for September 2016 at the Vatican.

He was born January 20, 1926, in Kolkata (then Calcutta) and was ordained a priest on August 24, 1948. He was appointed the bishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in 1974. In 1985, he was transferred to  Calcutta a as the coadjutor Archbishop. He succeeded Cardinal Lawrence Picachy as the archbishop of Calcutta on April 5, 1986.

The Archbishop had served as the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India and secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Known as an educationist, he had also played a major role in founding the Sacred Heart School in Kharagpur town.

“Emeritus Archbishop of Kolkata Henry D’Souza just passed away. Much loved educationist and man of God. Friend of our family. RIP,” Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said in a tweet.