ASIA/INDIA - Bishop of Jashpur appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on December 22, 2009, appointed as Bishop of Jashpur (India), Monsignor Emmanuel Kerketta, current diocesan Administrator of Jashpur.
Monsignor Emmanuel Kerketta was born March 16, 1952, in the village of Gotmahua, in the Diocese of Jashpur. After primary and secondary school in Musgutry, he attended Loyola High School in Kunkuri, and then entered the Minor Seminary of Ranchi. He completed a year of "Spirituality and Probation" at St. Albert's College, also in Ranchi. He later spent two years at St. Joseph's Seminary in Mangalore, and over three years at St. Xavier's College, Ranchi, before returning to St. Joseph's Seminary to finish his theological studies. He was ordained a priest on May 5, 1984, for the Diocese of Jashpur. He has since ministered as follows: 1984-1986: Parochial Vicar of Portenga and Director of Schools of “Catholic Ashram,” in the same area, 1986-1988: Studies of Mathematics at the Guru Gasidas University in Bilaspur; 1988 - 1989: Studies in Education at the University of Jabalpur Rani Durgawati, 1989 - 1992: President of the "Apostolic School" of Gholeng; 1992 - 2006: Professor and then Chairman of Deepak Janta H.S. Harradippa; 2006 - 2008: Vicar General of Jashpur; since 2008: Diocesan Administrator.
The Diocese of Jashpur, established in 2006, suffragan of the Archdiocese of Raipur. Has an area of 6,457 square kilometers, with 743,160 inhabitants (188,820 Catholics), 50 parishes, 170 priests (130 diocesan and 40 religious), 8 male religious, 44 seminarians, and 335 religious sisters. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2009)