by Paolo Affatato
Joypurhat – “In poverty and weakness, there is God’s Providence; there is his Spirit accompanying us and bringing us gifts that surprise us. We experience this every day in the life of our community here in Joypurhat, in northwestern Bangladesh,” says Paul Gomes, the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Joypurhat, in an interview with Fides. The diocese was established by Pope Leo XIV on 25 March 2026, from territories of the dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinajpur, and is a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dhaka.
“For example,” he explains, “in this newly established diocese, the infrastructure still has to be built. At present, I live at Mary Help of Christians Parish in Khanjanpur, entrusted to the Salesians, which is serving as the cathedral. We need to plan and build an actual episcopal seat and a pastoral centre. There is a great deal of goodwill, but we need assistance, and we are already receiving a great deal of it,” says the Bishop, who took possession of the diocese last June.
The Catholic community of Joypurhat numbers around 25,000 faithful across 13 parishes. The vast majority belong to indigenous and tribal communities, including the Santal, Oraon, Mahali, Munda and Paharia peoples, who are among the communities living in the Joypurhat area, which has a population of around 7.7 million.
Bishop Gomes says that “the indigenous Catholic faithful in the area are among the most socially vulnerable groups in Bangladesh. They live in poverty, working mainly as day labourers in agriculture or as small-scale farmers. They face chronic inequality and discrimination in access to resources and land.” The indigenous communities in the area, he adds, “also face illiteracy, vulnerability to natural disasters, and migration to cities or abroad in search of work.”
In a geographical and social context marked by serious challenges, “the establishment of the Diocese of Joypurhat has generated great hope among everyone, not only among the faithful, but also within the local Muslim and Hindu communities,” he notes.
Indeed, “the Catholic Church in Bangladesh is recognized for its charitable works and the quality of its social services, which are offered without distinction of caste, culture or religion,” the Bishop recalls. Therefore, “in Joypurhat, our commitment focuses on two fundamental areas for the development of the region: establishing schools accessible to all and strengthening healthcare services, especially in peripheral villages.” The Church is already active in the region through educational and healthcare initiatives and human development programs, including microcredit and vocational training. In this way, Bishop Gomes notes, “the Catholic community promotes social inclusion and daily interreligious dialogue, helping to defuse the sectarian violence that at times affects society.”
The Bishop emphasizes another aspect: “In a diocese with only 15 priests and 18 religious women, catechists and lay people are irreplaceable pillars of the apostolate and of social service.” “In remote rural villages, the very survival of the faith depends on their daily work,” he acknowledges.
In northwestern Bangladesh, their role is that of “custodians of the faith in the peripheries,” since many indigenous villages in the diocese are located in isolated areas that priests can reach only a few times a year. “Lay catechists live permanently within these communities: they lead Sunday celebrations of the Word, keep the chapels made of mud and bamboo open and active, assist the sick, and prepare children and adults for the sacraments.”
“Catechists,” he observes, “are also protagonists in the process of inculturation of the faith. Since almost all of them are members of the local tribes, they overcome linguistic and cultural barriers, translate Sacred Scripture and hymns into tribal languages, and integrate traditional local symbols and customs into liturgical celebrations. In this way, people experience the Gospel as something close to their own identity and daily lives.”
On the socio-political front, lay people also serve as mediators and advocates for the indigenous populations of Joypurhat, who are often victims of illegal land expropriation, civil discrimination and abuses because of their social vulnerability and lack of literacy. “Catholic lay people, often trained through diocesan programs and Caritas Bangladesh, help village leaders defend their legal rights, protect ancestral property and report violations,” Bishop Gomes explains.
Given the significant pastoral needs of a young and emerging Church, lay people also cooperate actively in organizing pastoral meetings and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, accompanying young people on their vocational journey, “so that they may be protagonists in the Church and in society.”
In the new diocese, therefore, evangelization and human promotion go hand in hand, the Bishop concludes, “within a young and poor Catholic community that trusts that, as the Psalm says, the Lord will complete his work.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.