Jurisdiction of Cochin Diocese (India): 1598-1605
The number of Portuguese Christians was gradually increasing in Chittagong. In 1598 there were 2500 Portuguese and their descendants in Chittagong and Arakan. There were also Indian Christians. In 1599, Fr. Nicolau de Pimenta who was in Goa sent two Jesuits named Fr. Melchior da Fonseca and Fr. Andre Boves from Cochin to assist Fr. Francisco Fernandez and Fr. Domingo de Souza. At that time Chittagong belonged to the King of Arakan but the missionaries found it almost entirely in the hands of the Portuguese.
Fr. Francisco Fernandez managed to receive the letters-patent from the King of Arakan to preach the Christian religion and build churches in his kingdom. Four churches were built in the area of present Bangladesh in 1600 AD. The first church was formally consecrated on the 1st January 1600 in Chandecan (presently Iswaripur, south of Satkhira) and it was dedicated to the ‘Holy Name of Jesus’. The second church and a residence were built in Chittagong with the funds from the King of Arakan and dedicated to ‘St. John the Baptist’ on the 24th June 1600. Another church was built in Jamalkhan and was dedicated to the ‘Immaculate Conception’. The first mass was celebrated there by Fr. Fernandez on 8th December 1600.
At the place of embarkation of the Portuguese, called ‘Kaukac’, one chapel was erected in 1600 AD but was washed away in the river Karnafuli.
The Dominicans were the second religious order to come to Chittagong. Dominican Monks Frey Gaspar d’ Assumpção and Frei Belchior da Luz came to Diang in 1601 at the request of some Portuguese from Chittagong. The Portuguese demanded a land from the King of Arakan to build a church and was given. The Dominican friars built a hermitage with a church. But the church was soon burnt down and sacked by the King of Arakan during his war on the Portuguese. Father Jean Barbé, OSB, pastor at Chittagong in 1843 wrote about the Diang church, ‘the spot may yet be traced’ and ‘the building appears to have been 89 feet in length and 40 in breadth’. He also mentioned that twelve Christian families were living close to the spot. An aged Muslim told him that all the villages near the spot used to be Christian but the people had migrated. The Dominican Monks did not remain long in Chittagong on account of the ‘danger and treacherous wars menacing their residence and the little protection it afforded’ and left in 1603.
The Jesuits used to send Bengali children to be educated in the great Jesuit College of Santa Fé in Goa which was afterwards known as the College of São Paulo. In the catalogue of the students of that college, dated 1559, and still preserved in the Royal Library of Ajuda, Portugal, several names of Bengali children are mentioned.
The success of Fr. Fernandez and his companions unfortunately came to a melancholy end during 1602. The Portuguese captured Sandwip from the king of Bakla in 1602. Since then the King of Arakan started to consider Portuguese as the threat to his kingdom. In connection with the disputes, a tumult arose in Chittagong in which the Portuguese suffered heavily. The Portuguese missionaries, Jesuits and Dominicans, who had come to Bengal in 1598 and 1599 and were carrying on very successful work also suffered immensely. An attack was made by the Arakanese who drove out the Portuguese from Diang, ransacked the place and both the churches in Chittagong (St. John the Baptist Church) and Diang were put on fire on November 8, 1602. To crown all this ill-treatment, the Arakanese used the sacred chalice of the church of St. John the Baptist as spittoon. At that time Fr. Francisco was attempting to save some children who were being forced into slavery by the Arakanese was mercilessly thrashed and deprived of one eye. Being tortured he expired in prison on the 14th November 1602. Fr. Andre Boves was in prison at the same time with chains round his neck and legs. In a letter Fr. Boves wrote, ‘At that time I was very much upset. After some moments they have taken me to meet the King. In the court I came to know that how cruelly they have been torturing Fr. Fernandez. They have ransacked our residence, tortured our staff and other people, burnt everything and killed many with swords. On the 14th November when Fr. Fernandez died, he was still with chains round his neck and legs; but no more prisoned, free for ever to meet the Lord! Moment before he died, I was permitted to meet him, as we were in separate room. When I met him, he was still alive, but could not talk. I assumed, he could recognize me. I have embraced him in tears. I have wept and prayed with a heavy stone on my heart. I have never expected death before this time! At last I was permitted to bury him inside the ruins of the St. John the Baptist church.’ Fr. Francisco Fernandez is the first Christian Missionary who suffered martyrdom in the soil of Bengal.
After the incidents in Chittagong in 1602, Jesuit missionary Fr. Blaise Nunes, three others and many Portuguese Christians then took refuge in Sandwip and then in Sripur and Bakla (presently Patuakhali) and Chandecan (presently Jessore). They had begun building a church and a residence in Sandwip. But the settlement was again captured by the Arakanese and they had to abandon their new ventures. The mission in Sandwip ended in 1611 with the departure of Fr Blaise Nunes, S.J. and Fr. Natal Salermo, S.J.They have moved to Chandecan and repaired their residence which was the only one left to them, all the others having been destroyed. Under the melancholy circumstances the surviving missionaries eventually left Bengal, some going to Pegu and some to Cochin.
A treaty was, however, concluded by the Portuguese with the King of Arakan, and peace was restored for some time. According to the chronicles of the Dominicans, the King of Arakan actually offered to rebuild at his own expense the church and the residence of the Dominicans which he had destroyed and requested them to stay in his kingdom. The Portuguese were now becoming very powerful in Eastern Bengal and Burma. Fillipe de Brito e Nicote had established a kingdom in Pegu and made treaties with the kings of Tangu, Siam and Proem.
Franciscan friars came to Chittagong in 1605. The first Bishop of Chittagong, Bishop Alfred Le Pailleur wrote that the Franciscans were chased away from Chittagong in a very short time during the same year. Only two names of Franciscan friars have been preserved in the archive of Chittagong Archdiocese, Fr. Eleuthére de S. Jacques and Fr. Juan della Corda who had served during 1605.
Jurisdiction of Mylapore Diocese (India): 1606-1834
The old Diocese of Mylapore, India, was erected by Pope Paul V on 9th January 1606, by an agreement between the Holy Father and the King of Portugal. By virtue of this arrangement which was known as ‘Padroado’, the King of Portugal was vested with special powers to appoint bishops and priests in specified areas and to support them financially in their work of evangelization. The areas in Bengal including Chittagong was placed under the jurisdiction of the newly erected Padroado Diocese of Mylapore. The Padroado system and the arrangement suffered due to the civil disturbance and transfer of power in Portugal and was finally cancelled by the Holy Father in the year 1950.
During 1607 Brito e Nicote planned of taking possession of Diang. This is to be noted that Nicote with his men helped the King of Arakan, Salim Shah in his battles with the King of Tangu and actually defeated the latter conquering the castle Mecao. In recognition of his services, Salim Shah conceded to Brito e Nicote the title of Changa (the good man) and granted to the Portuguese the port of Siriam in Pegu. As he exercised a great influence over the King of Arakan, in 1607 he sent his son with a fleet asking him to grant him the port of Diang. The King suspecting that Brito e Nicote wished to deprive him of the whole of his kingdom invited Brito e Nicote’s son and his men to his court and put them all to the sword. A general massacre of the Portuguese in the kindgdom was ordered and about six hundred Portuguese who were peacefully residing in Diang were murdered in cold blood. From this massacre about ten Portuguese escaped with their ships and one of them was Sebastião Gonsalves Tibau who later played an important role in the history of Bengal. The Portuguese again returned to Diang in 1615. Since then they used to work for the King of Arakan Salim Shah. The present ‘Christian Para’ in Diang is the evidence of this historical return. A very ancient Christian graveyard is traced near the village. The graveyard is popularly considered as the graves of the 600 Portuguese during the mass-killing in 1607.
In 1612 Augustinians arrived in Dhaka and erected the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. They also erected churches in Nuricol, Sripur and Catrabo. The Augustinians extended their activities to Chittagong in 1621, in fact, took the place of the Jesuits who had till that time ministered there and had undergone many troubles. Fr. Domingos de la Purification was appointed ‘Vicar de la Vara Ordinary’ for Chittagong. Other accompanying Augustinian missionaries were Fr. Ector de Los Angeles, Fr. Francisco de Las Llagos and Fr. Mathew. The Augustinians left Chittagong in 1841 AD.
The Christianity had been flourishing in Chittagong with much struggles and persecutions. Fourteen Portuguese Christians were beheaded in Chittagong in 1625 for the religion of Christ and for the defense of their faith. In another event, 13 local Christians and 4 Portuguese Christians preferred undergoing harsh torment to giving up faith in the true religion.
Between 1622 and 1635, the Augustinian missionaries baptized 28,497 of which 5,110 were native and the rest were Indian slaves. Besides that, they have baptized 5,000 Arakanese or Maghs. This was the time, it must be remembered, when the Portuguese were in the service of the King of Arakan. The whole of Bengal was under the pastoral care of Augustinians during that period. Their main seat was the Church in Bandel, on which depended all the Churches and parishes in Dhaka, Solicur, Chandpur, Banja, Pipli, Balasore, Tamaluk, Jessore, Hijili, Tejgaon, Chittagong, Diang, Rangamatia, Catroba, Sripur and Arakan.
During 1621-1631, an Augustinian monk, Fr. Sebastian Manrique stayed in Diang and travelled many places including Arakan. He wrote many documents of historical importance. He played an important role in the history saving the Portuguese in Diang from a second attack by the King of Arakan. In 1630, Salim Shah, the King of Arakan received a secret message that the Portuguese are plotting with the Mughal Emperor to capture the kingdom of Arakan. He then secretly prepared to send fleet and forces to capture Diang from the Portuguese. Somehow the Portuguese came to know about the preparation. On 2 July, the feast of the visitation of Mary, Fr. Sebastian Manrique left Diang port for Arakan with a small ship named Gelia. The weather was not in favour. Crossing Kutubdia Channel, river Matamuhuri on the third day they had arrived in the city of Ramu. Due to the heavy storm Fr. Manrique could not land in Ramu. Maybe they had crossed river Bakkhali to reach there. In heavy storm, they managed to reach at Garjania in present Cox’s bazaar by the ship. It was then quite impossible to travel further by the riverway. They have abandoned the ship and started on 8th July with elephants. From there they reached in Arakan via Teknaf. This route was being used by Prince Sujah during the wars with Arakanese. Fr. Manrique managed to convince the King of Arakan that the Portuguese will not bring any threat to his kingdom. Salim Shah suspended the possible second attack in Diang.
Other companions of Fr. Manrique during the periods were Fr. Manoel de la Concepcion and Fr. Diogo Coulon. Three of them baptized 11,407 persons. Fr. Fernao Guerreiro also visited Chittagong in 1629. Fr. Manrique found a church in Diang built by Benedictine monks in 1601. In a document Fr. Manrique mentioned the name of a native Augustinian nun, ‘Monica de la Cruz’ for whom he expressed a high estimation in one of his documents.
In 1666 the Nawab of Dhaka annexed Chittagong to his kingdom. During that time there were 3 to 7 thousand Christians in Chittagong. In 1676, Augustinian missionary Fr. Manuel de Rozario was appointed in charge of Chittagong mission. Augustinians ended their mission in Chittagong in 1841.
1713 is a graceful year for the Chittagong mission. In the middle of January, Mgr. Francois Laynes, S.J. the fifth Bishop of Mylapore came to Chittagong. He is the first bishop to visit the Christians in Chittagong. The Christians in East Bengal have never seen a bishop earlier. The bishop found a big number of Catholics under the care of Fr. Claude Barbier, O.S.A. Bishop Laynes stayed nine months without interruption, instructing people, administering sacraments, encouraging people, meetings the officials and so on. During that time there were three colonies of Christians in Chittagong at a half league from one another. Each of these colonies had its own church, priests and solider-leaders to look after its interests. From Chittagong Mgr. Laynes travelled to Bhulua, at the North-West of Noakhali where about 400 Christians did not see a priest for the previous five years. Mgr. Laynes administered baptisms, other sacraments and conducted spiritual retreat.
Padrishibpur, popularly known as Shibpur in Portuguese history was established in 1764. It was the first mission in Barisal region, presently in Barisal diocese. Raphael Das Anjos was the first priest. Pedro Gonsalves built the first church in Padrishibpur. In 1823 Manuel de Silva, in accordance with the will of his father Domingo de Silva pulled down the old church and reconstructed the second church in 1819. The present church in Padrishshibpur is the third architecture.
The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus was established in 1819 in Gournadi. It is the second mission in present Barisal Diocese. The first church is demolished and reconstructed in 1913.
The Church in East Bengal was run from Mylapore since 1606 but in the 19th century it was neglecting its duties of providing funds and personnel for Eastern Bengal. It is to be remembered that the Diocese of Mylapore actually was a Padroado jurisdiction under the King of Portugal.
Bishop Alfred Le Pailleur mentioned, ‘During the long epoch of hundred years, the withdrawal of the Jesuits, the mission works suffered in India. Moreover, in the beginning of the 19th century, political and social agitation in Europe made the recruitment of missionaries very difficult. The Churches were without priests and pastoral care and the faith of the people and the religious practices degenerated.’
Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal under the Propaganda Fide: 1834-1845
Since the Portuguese government would not renounce its claim, the Holy See therefore established on the 18th April 1834 its own jurisdiction, the Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal. This led to a double jurisdiction and quasi-schism of the Padroado Church.
Hitherto the work of evangelization was carried on only by the Portuguese missions under the sanction of the Portuguese government. But the Pope entrusted the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Bengal to the English Jesuits. An Irish Jesuit Robert de Leger was named the first Vicar Apostolic of Bengal. But it is very much interesting to note that Mgr. Robert de Leger was never ordained a bishop! In 1837 the clergy and Christians of Bengal accepted the authority of the Vicar Apostolic but Portugal claimed the sole right of religious jurisdiction, known as Padroado, which she had received from the Pope for her zeal in the propagation of faith in the East. Thus, interminable disputes and controversies went on between the courts of Rome and Portugal for over fifty years. This period may be passed over in silence. In 1835, The Marquis of Pombal, the Portuguese premier suppressed all Portuguese Religious Orders. So, very few friars were able to come to Bengal to carry on the work of the mission among the Christians who were converted by the early Portuguese missionaries. The legal battle between the Holy See and the King of Portugal continued till 1857.
Mgr. Robert de Leger S.J. was later succeeded by Mgr. Jean-Louis Taberd, M.E.P. in 1838 and then Mgr. Partick Joseph Carew, S.J. in 1840.
There was a ‘Medlycott’ Anglo-Indian family in Chittagong during the third decade in 19th century. A son of the family was Adolphus Edwin Medlycott who was born on 15th May 1838. Later they had moved to India. Adolphus Edwin Medlycott had a distinguished educational career in India and later in Propaganda Fide College, Rome where he took his Ph.D, was ordained priest on 17 March 1861. He was nominated titular bishop of Tricomia and first Vicar Apostolic of Trichur on 13 September 1887, consecrated Bishop on 11 December 1887. He led the vicariate till 1896 and died on 4th May 1918 in Bangalore.
The Benedictines came to Chittagong in 1843. Fr. Jean Barbe, O.S.B., a Benedictine joined Fr. Augustus Goiran, O.S.A. in Chittagong. Fr. Barbe travelled to Noakhali where there were already 633 Christians. He purchased land to build church, residence and school. He built a small church by bamboo in May/ June, 1843. A Carmelite priest named Fr. Thomas Zubiburu was sent to Noakhali in 1844 who baptized a local farmer and his son. In 1861 Fr. Verité built a church in Noakhali replacing the bamboo made church by Fr. Barbe. But during 1947-1949 the church and cemetery fell into the Meghna river. Later on, when the land filled in, the Church was able to recover its original property. A new mission was built in Sonapur, less than three miles away. Fr. Guy-Marie Tourangeau built the present church of Our Lady of the Lourdes which was consecrated in 1962.
Fr. Goiran built a bungalow in 1843 in Chittagong which served as school for the girls. The bungalow is later transformed into the Bishop’s House. The Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is built by Fr. Goiran in 1843 on the site of St. John the Baptist Church destroyed in 1602. The picture of that church is available at the diocesan archives.
On the 26th August 1843, Fr. Thomas Oliffe, S.J. was appointed Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Bengal. But before he succeeded Mgr. Patrick Joseph Carew, S.J., the Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal is divided into two.
Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal under the Propaganda Fide: 1845-1886
(With the seat of the Apostolic Vicar in Chittagong: 1845-1852)
The Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal was divided into two in February 17, 1845. Mgr. Patrick Joseph Carew, S.J, then Vicar Apostolic of Bengal was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Western Bengal. Coadjutor to the Vicar Apostolic of Bengal Mgr. Thomas Oliffe, S.J. was given responsibility of administering the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal. The seats of the Western Bengal Vicariate were in Calcutta and Eastern Bengal in Chittagong. Irish Jesuit Mgr. Thomas Oliffe took the office and residence in Chittagong in the same year. He gave confirmation to 120 Catholics who never saw a bishop in their life. The territory of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal included Dhaka, Chittagong, part of Khulna, northern Burma and parts of Assam. But there were only three priests to look after the mission.
Mgr. Thomas Oliffe founded a convent in Chittagong named Bethlehem Convent in 1846 which was very famous for its poverty. The Loretto nuns from Calcutta and Chandernagore convents took the responsibility of Bethlehem Convent. Loretto nuns were the pioneers among sisterhoods in the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal. They had withdrawn their mission from Eastern Bengal on 7th January 1854. They had again returned in 2005 and started serving in Padrishibpur parish. The Bethlehem convent was later renamed as St. Scholastica’s convent and has been remaining under the responsibility of RNDM sisters since 1883.
It is complicated to note that Mgr. Thomas Oliffe who was the Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Bengal and in charge of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal was given two appointments at a time on 15th February 1850. He was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Bengal and Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Western Bengal. At that time in Dhaka, Chittagong and Shibpur areas there were about 8,000 Catholics with 3 priests named Fr. Augustus Goiran, O.S.A, Fr. McGirr, O.S.B. and Fr. Ignatius Storck, O.S.B.
(With the seat of the Apostolic Vicar in Dhaka: 1852-1886)
In 1852 the seat of the Vicar Apostolic was transferred to Dhaka from Chittagong. Mgr. Thomas Oliffe moved to Dhaka after residing 8 years in Chittagong. Gradually Dhaka became the main centre of missionary works in the areas of present Bangladesh.
Bishop Thomas Oliffe, S.J, Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Bengal visited Father Moreau in Le Mans on May 20, 1852 and discussed the terms of acceptance. Propaganda Fide notified him on June 12 that the Holy See confided the missions of Eastern Bengal to the Congregation of Holy Cross which Father Moreau accepted. A group of eight missionaries of the Holy Cross priests and brothers, and the Marianite sisters arrived in Calcutta on 20th May 1853. From there Fr. Louis Verité accompanied the sisters to Dhaka by June 12 and left for Noakhali by road via Comilla. Seminarian Mercier and brothers went straight by ship from Barisal to Noakhali, arriving in mid- June. The first Holy Cross missionaries for Chittagong were assigned in 1853. Chittagong became the Holy Cross headquarter on 8th December 1853 and remained until 1876. The Holy Cross priests and brothers withdrew their mission from Eastern Bengal on August 4, 1876 and again returned in 1883. The Marianites sisters withdrew their mission in 1871.
Holy Cross Brother Benedict Fitpatrick founded the first school in Chittagong and named to Catholic Free School. Bro. Benedict was the first director of the school. The school was later renamed to Roman Catholic Day School. On withdrawal of Holy Cross from Eastern Bengal, the Benedictine fathers took the charge of the school and renamed it to St. Placid’s School. A lay person named Mr. Felix Elias Fernandez was the first lay director administering the school during 1878-1883 and 1858-1899. In 1855 Holy Cross missionaries were taking care of Noakhali, Chittagong, Jamalkhan, Katholia, Bakholia and Sylhet. The first religious superior of Holy Cross missionaries in Eastern Bengal Fr. Voisin, C.S.C. died on 14th August during the year. A group of one priest, one subdeacon and one sister, accompanied by Fr. Benoit Mercier, C.S.C. was on the way to Noakhali from Calcutta in 1855 when their small boat was swamped by a tidal bore about 20 miles south of Noakhali. Sr. Mary of Victory, C.S.C. and Fr. Alexandre Montigny, C.S.C. were drowned on 29th August. The subdeacon Bernard Larbiou was later ordained.
Vicar Apostolic of Western Bengal Mgr. Partick Joseph Carew, S.J. died on 2nd November 1855. Though Mgr. Thomas Oliffe, S.J. was in charge of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal, he had the succession right to Mgr. Patrick Joseph Carew being a Coadjutor to him which was made by the Holy See on 15th February 1850. On the 17th December 1855 Mgr. Thomas Oliffe, S.J. was transferred from Dhaka to Calcutta. Mgr. Augustus Goiran, O.S.A. succeeded him as the Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Bengal. Fr. Vérite, C.S.C. was the Holy Cross superior and Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Bengal until 1857. He died on 26th April 1859 and buried in the sea. Fr. Pierre Dufal, C.S.C. succeeded Fr. Vérite in December 1857 as the Holy Cross superior.
The Padroado priests under Mylapore diocese still refused to leave their parishes and the two jurisdictions existed side by side. In 1857 the Concordat between the Holy See and the King of Portugal curtailed furthermore the rights of the Portuguese Mission. The Augustinians having now left Bengal and Portuguese missions had no priests at all. The Goanese who had stood up for the rights of the Portuguese began to send missionaries for Bengal while the English Jesuits being unable to cope with the work, the Pope entrusted the Mission to the Belgian Jesuits.
On June 13, 1860 Fr. Pierre Dufal, C.S.C. was named a bishop, in charge of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern Bengal by Pope Pius IX. He was consecrated titular bishop of Delcon on 25th November 1860 in Le Mans, the first Holy Cross priest to become a bishop. Father Moreau preached the sermon. He was installed in the Dhaka mission on 15th May 1861. He resided half the year in Chittagong and half in Dhaka. From the Holy See, Mgr. Charbonneaux, Visitor Apostolic came to Chittagong in 1862 to encourage the Christians of Chittagong for their faith, struggles and persecution.
There were about 1,000 Catholics in Barisal in 1843. Father Goiran wrote that they were in need of a church and a useful religious education centre for their children. A chapel is built there in 1864 which was later transformed to priests’ residence which is still being used. The St. Peter’s Church was built in 1873 and later rebuilt in 1901 by Fr. Philip Nanni. The new church was dedicated by Bishop Hurth on April 6, 1902, although it was not yet completed. In 2015, the St. Peter’s Church was named as temporary Cathedral of the newly erected Diocese of Barisal.
On withdrawal of the Holy Cross missionaries from Eastern Bengal in 1876, the Monks of the Anglo-Belgian Province of the Cassinese Benedictines took over the mission and Dom Cuthbert Downey, O.S.B. was appointed Pro-Vicar Apostolic in October and took the charge from Bishop Dufal, C.S.C. Benedictines remained in Chittagong until 1886.
A massive fire on 9th December 1877 completely destroyed the priests’ house and the orphanage in Chittagong. The occurrence burnt all the archives preserved in Chittagong.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward Jourdain Balsieper, O.S.B. was nominated titular bishop of Tanasia and appointed Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Bengal on 28th March 1878. His episcopal consecration took place on 15th May 1878. The most momentous event of the Benedictine’s stay in Eastern Bengal was the canonical erection of the Diocese of Dhaka on 1st September 1886 as the first ever diocese in the area of present Bangladesh.
Five sisters of Our Lady of the Mission from Lyons arrived in Chittagong in 1883 led by the Mother Foundress of the Congregation, Rev. Mother Marie of the Heart of Jesus. Mgr. Balsieper placed them in the place of old Bethlehem convent abandoned by the Loretto sisters, which was being used as the parochial house till then. The middle of the group of buildings of present St. Scholastica’s convent were being occupied by the priests. The main building of the one today was completed on 15th August 1886. The RNDM sisters started an orphanage and school. A novitiate was established in 1889.
Jurisdiction of Dhaka Diocese: 1886-1927
The Diocese of Dhaka was canonically erected on 1st September 1886 and Mgr. Dr. Edward Jourdain Balsieper, O.S.B. was nominated the first bishop of Dhaka. He was later succeeded by Bishop Augustin Louage, C.S.C. in 1891, Bishop Peter Joseph Hurth, C.S.C in 1894, Bishop Francis Frederick Linneborn, C.S.C in 1909 and Bishop Joseph Armand Legrand, C.S.C. in 1916. At that time, Dhaka was the first and only diocese in the present area of Bangladesh. The new diocese included the territories of the present-day dioceses of Chittagong (Bangladesh), Silchar(Assam, India), and Prome (Myanmar). The diocese of Dhaka was made suffragan to the archdiocese of Calcutta which was also erected on the same day with Dhaka.
The Benedictine fathers had established a mission in Akyab, Myanmar in 1881 and had built Sacred Heart Church and a school. Among the Holy Cross priests, Frs. Hubert Peeters, Philip Nanni, Louis Faineaux and Louis Lazarus were the great pioneers. Fr. Alphonse Metivier, C.S.C. was in Akyab with Fr. Lazarus in 1881. The RNDM sisters had a school and orphanage in Akyab. Bishop LePailleur’s rest-house was located there.
The rivalry between the Holy See and King of Portugal did not subside until 1887, when the Delegate Apostolic Mgr. Agliardi came to carry out the clauses of the Concordat entered into between the Holy See and the King of Portugal Dom Luis I. By that Concordat it was decided that following parishes and Churches should belong to the Portuguese Mission in Bengal under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Mylapore: – Boitakhana in the town of Calcutta; Chinsurah and Bandel in the district of Hooghly; in Eastern Bengal Dhaka, Tejgaon, Nagori, Hashnabad, Shibpur, Tangrakali and Tuital; while other places passed on to the Jurisdictions of the Archbishop of Calcutta and Bishop of Dhaka. A final settlement took place only in 1928, when the Roman jurisdiction completely prevailed in Bengal. For the first time, the old parish of Shibpur (Padrishibpur) came under Chittagong Diocese in April 1930.
After a 12-year interlude the Holy Cross personnel who returned to Eastern Bengal in 1888 came from America (three) and Canada (two), rather than from France. The group sailed on September 11, 1888 and arrived January 12,1889. Father Pierre Fichet, C.S.C. had been ordained in Rome on the way. The missionaries were not starting from scratch, however, since one of the Benedictines (Dom Bede Birchby) volunteered to stay on, and two Holy Cross priests had worked here previously, Father Fourmond for 18 years and Fr. Roche for 16. Fr. Michael Fallize was named superior of the Dhaka mission and was appointed Administrator of the diocese by Propaganda Fide in a letter of June 18, 1889. In 1889 there were four churches under Rome in Dhaka and four in Chittagong.
In 1889 the mission was relieved of some territory for which it was responsible when the Prefecture Apostolic Assam was created, including Bhutan. The German Salvatorians were given jurisdiction over them, but the districts of Sylhet, Cachar and the Lushai Hills remained under Dhaka untill 1927.
There were already three chapels at Sikarpur, Dhandoba and Airkandi in 1884 which now fall under the territory of Gournadi parish of Barisal diocese. Bishop Augustin Louage wrote that in 1894 he had 15 priests and one catechist. He built 3 churches, 4 chapels, 2 residences for the missionaries. He rebuilt the orphanage in Chittagong.
Narikelbari mission, which is now a parish of Barisal diocese was opened in 1901 and was under pastoral care of Gournadi parish. The mission was cut off from Gournadi and erected parish in 1921. The first Church of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus was built on the same year.
In 1910 Mr. Richard George Brown from Barisal was decorated with “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice”. The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice was an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It was also known as the “Decoration of Honour”. It was being conferred for distinguished service to the Church by lay people and clergy.
In 1923 Father Faineau opened an Apostolic School in Sandoway, which was the district headquarter and the only good source of supplies. Therefore, it was made the headquarter of the apostolate in the Chin Hills. At that time there were 600 Catholics in the entire district.
In 1924 a church for mainly Goanese railway employees, built and funded by themselves, was set up at Pahartoli, Chittagong and dedicated to St. Joseph. The Catholics there were Anglo-Indian but pure Indians applied also and even Chinese carpenters. But the Chinese could not be instructed for lack of a Chinese speaking priest.
Dhaka diocese was divided in 1927 and two new dioceses of Chittagong and Dinajpur were canonically erected. Both the dioceses were made suffragan dioceses to Calcutta, India.
Bibliography
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5. D’ROZARIO, Bishop Patrick, C.S.C. “The Early Years of the Church in Chittagong Diocese, 1517-1927”. Jubilee Souvenir, 5th October 2000, Chittagong, Jubilee Central Committee.
6. D’ROZARIO, Bishop Patrick, C.S.C. “ফাঃফ্রান্সেসকো ফের্ণাণ্ডেস, এস.জে: বাংলার প্রথম খ্রীষ্টশহীদ”। Jubilee Souvenir, 5th October 2000, Chittagong, Jubilee Central Committee.
7. HOULE, Brother Albéric, C.S.C. “The History of the Diocese of Chittagong in Eastern Bengal: 1927-2003”. 27th March 2005, Dhaka, St. Joseph Provincial House.
8. QANUNGO, Suniti Bhushan, M.A., Ph.D. “A History of Chittagong”. 1988, Chittagong, Dipankar Qanungo, Signet Library, Vol. 1.
9. TIMM, Rev. R. W, C.S.C. “150 Years of Holy Cross in East Bengal Mission”. 8th December 2003, Dhaka, Congregation of Holy Cross.
10. “History”. Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore. Retrieved from http://archdioceseofmadrasmylapore.in/history
11. “History of the Archdiocese of Calcutta”. Retrieved from http://www.archdioceseofcalcutta.in/archdiocese.html
12. “Former Bishops- Adolphus Edwin Medlycott”. Retrieved from http://www.trichurarchdiocese.org/bishops/prelates
13. “Bishop Jean-Louis Taberd, O.E.M.” Retrieved from http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/btaberd.html
14. “Archbishop Patrick Joseph Carew”. Retrieved from http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcarep.html
15. “Bishop Thomas Olliffe”. Retrieved from http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bolif.html”
16. “Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore” Retrieved from http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/ds326.html