Dinajpur (Fides Service) - Living the Gospel and sharing it with others is the commitment taken by Catholics in Dinajpur diocese on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, 13-15 November, marked by various celebrations including a Marian Pilgrimage which drew more than 4,000 participants. Dinajpur diocese, situated some 300 kilometres north west of Dhaka, opened its Jubilee with a Pastoral Assembly during which 120 parish representatives finalised diocesan priorities that emerged during a May meeting in preparation for the Jubilee. Elements underlined were Catechism, Christian spirituality and formation of lay Catholics, and forming self reliant communities, open to mission. A major Jubilee event was a five kilometre pilgrimage to Rajarampur Marian shrine for the recitation of the Rosary prayer. Some 4,000 made the walk and then took part in the first pubic recitation of the Marian prayer with meditation on the new "mysteries of light" introduced last month by Pope John Paul II. During the homily of the solemn Jubilee Mass the next day, 15 November, Bishop Moses Costa of Dinajpur urged his people to "live the Gospel and to sow its seeds in the fertile soil which is all around you". Dinajpur diocese was created in 1927 and the first missionaries to this area were Italian PIME missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. At that time the population was 9.3 million of whom about 18,300 were Catholics. Today the diocese has a population of over 15 million. Catholics are 39,695 and they are gathered in 13 parishes looked after by 41 priests (25 diocesan 16 religious), assisted by 118 Sisters and 26 Brothers, there are 12 major seminarians. (Statistics from Church's year book) (Fides Service 28/11/2002)