Jessore celebrates its first priest, remembering the one who brought the Gospel 170 years ago
Hundreds of people attended the ordination of Fr Limon Biswas, a PIME missionary like Fr Antonio Marietti, who was the first to speak about Jesus in 1856 in Jessore, a village in the present-day Diocese of Khulna. Now he himself will leave as a missionary for Papua New Guinea. “I hope he will spread the Gospel with dedication and love,” said Bishop Boiragi.
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Jessore (AsiaNews) – About 1,300 Catholics gathered on Friday in the parish of Jessore, southern Bangladesh, to attend the priestly ordination of Limon Albert Biswas, a PIME missionary, ordained by Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Khulna. The celebration marks a historic moment for the local Church.
When PIME missionaries arrived in what is modern-day Bangladesh in 1855 to begin their apostolic work, Jessore was one of the first communities founded. Father Antonio Marietti began to preach the Gospel soon after his arrival in 1856, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations.
Today, Jessore parish has approximately 1,400 Catholics, but Father Limon Biswas is the first priest from the community. The only vocation to religious life until now had been that of a nun who joined the Missionaries of Charity.
“Today we remember with deep respect Fr Antonio Marietti, PIME, who first brought the Good News to our parish,” said Dr Theophil Chakraborty, a devout parishioner, speaking to AsiaNews.
“Because of his tireless efforts, our ancestors embraced Jesus Christ. We used to feel sorrow that no priest had ever come from our parish. Now, with Fr Limon’s ordination, we are filled with joy. I believe Fr Limon is a gift from the Catholics of Jessore to PIME.”
There were no Catholics before the arrival of the PIME missionaries in Jessore. Fr Marietti learnt Bengali, taught catechism, and wrote books in the local language to spread the faith. In honour of his legacy, a memento was published for the ordination of Fr Limon, dedicated to Fr Marietti.
With Fr Limon's ordination, the number of PIME missionaries originally from Bangladesh now stands at nine. Reflecting on his ordination, the new priest told AsiaNews: “I want to be a simple missionary so that people can easily approach me. Through kindness and good works, I will serve others.”
He said he will soon leave for Papua New Guinea, his missionary destination.
The priestly motto he chose – along with the institute's five other missionaries from Chad, Cameroon, and India who studied with Limon in Italy at the Monza seminary and were ordained in their home dioceses this summer – is taken from a verse from the Gospel of John (15:13): “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. Indeed, “I want to sacrifice my life for the people,” Fr Limon added.
Congratulating the new priest, Bishop James Romen Boiragi expressed gratitude to the PIME missionaries. “I thank the PIME priests for their contribution to Jessore. They planted the seed, and through Fr Limon, we now see the fruit. I hope he will spread the Gospel with dedication and love.”
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