>Rathfelder at 16:38, 9 April 2021

2021-04-09T16:38:04Z

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{{more citations needed|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Most Reverend]]
| name = Alphonsus F. D'Souza
| honorific_suffix = [[Society of Jesus|SJ]]
| title = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj|Bishop of Raiganj]]
| image = Alphonsus D'Souza (bishop).JPG
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Bishop Alphonsus D'Souza S.J.
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| church = [[Roman Catholic Church]]
| archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta|Archdiocese of Calcutta]]
| province = [[Calcutta]]
| metropolis = [[Calcutta]]
| diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj]]
| see = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj|Raiganj]]
| term_start = 26 January 1987
| term_end = 30 April 2016
| predecessor = Bishop Leo Tigga, S.J.
| successor = Fr. Fulgence Aloysius Tigga
| opposed =
| other_post =

| ordination = 13 July 1971
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 17 May 1987
| consecrated_by = [[Linus Nirmal Gomes|Bishop Linus Nirmal Gomes, S.J.]]
| cardinal =
| created_cardinal_by =
| rank = Bishop

| birth_name = Alphonsus Flavian D’Souza
| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|07|04|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Mangalore]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]].
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|04|30|1939|07|04|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Raiganj]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| buried =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| nationality = Indian
| religion = [[Roman Catholic]]
| residence =
| parents = Emmanuel D’Souza<sup>'''(Father)'''</sup>, Magdalene D’Souza<sup>'''(Mother)'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/obituaryDisplay.aspx?obituaryID=7889|title=Obituary - Dr Alphonse D'Souza (77), Bishop of Raiganj, West Bengal|website=www.daijiworld.com}}</ref>
| previous_post =
| spouse =
| children =
| occupation =
| profession =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| motto =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| coat_of_arms =
| coat_of_arms_alt =
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles|name=Alphonsus D'Souza|dipstyle=[[The Most Reverend]]|offstyle= [[Your Grace]]||deathstyle=|}}
{{Ordination
| ordained deacon by =
| date of diaconal ordination =
| place of diaconal ordination =
| ordained priest by =
| date of priestly ordination = 13 July 1971
| place of priestly ordination =
| consecrated by = [[Linus Nirmal Gomes|Bishop Linus Nirmal Gomes, S.J]]
| co-consecrators = Bishop Eric Benjamin,<br />[[Alan Basil de Lastic|Bishop Alan Basil de Lastic]]
| date of consecration = 17 May 1987
| place of consecration =
| elevated by =
| date of elevation =
}}
'''Alphonsus Flavian D'Souza''' (4 July 1939, at Moudubelle ([[Mangalore]]) in India – 30 April 2016, at [[Raiganj]], [[West Bengal]], India), was an Indian [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] priest and [[Roman Catholic]] bishop of Raiganj from 1987 to his death.

== Biography ==
Seventh child in a family of 13 children, Alphonsus joined the Jesuit [[noviciate]] of Sitagarha ([[Bihar]]) in 1957. His Jesuit formation and training took him to [[Calcutta]] for a MA and doctorate in [[Indian philosophy]] (1963-1968) and to Austria ([[Innsbruck]]) and Germany ([[Tübingen]]) where he completed his Theological studies. On 13 July 1971 he was ordained [[Catholic priest|priest]] in Tübingen.

Back in [[Calcutta]] (India) D'Souza was successively professor of [[Theology]] and dean of studies at the Calcutta Morning Star Regional Seminary (1972 to 1977). From 1977 to 1981 he was the Rector of the same. From 1981 to 1987: Provincial Superior of the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] of West Bengal.

As he was about to complete his 6-year term as Provincial Alphonsus D'Souza received the news of his appointment as second bishop of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj|Raiganj diocese]], a largely rural diocese of central West Bengal populated by [[Santals|Santal tribals]]. D'Souza served as [[bishop]] of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raiganj, [[India]] from 1987 until his death in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/raig0.htm|title=Diocese of Raiganj, India|website=GCatholic}}</ref>

The 11 [[parish]]es Bp Alphonsus inherited when he took charge in 1987 augmented to 33 at the time of his death. He brought various [[religious institute]]s in order to develop educational work, strengthened the Social Welfare Institute and opened a [[Minor seminary]] (1988). The [[cathedral]] of Raiganj is also to his credit. At the time of his death (2016) the [[diocese]] counts 97300 [[Catholicism|Catholics]], mostly underprivileged [[Santals]] belonging to the largest [[Tribals in India|tribal group]] of [[India]].

Having reached the age of 75 in 2014, and with failing health, Bp Alphonsus submitted his resignation to [[Pope Francis]] who requested him to remain in his post until a successor be found. Bp Alphonsus D'Souza died suddenly on 30 April 2016, in the sacristy of his cathedral, at [[Raiganj]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|India}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Souza, Alphonsus}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Jesuits]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in India]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Mangalore]]
[[Category:Jesuit bishops]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in India]]

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Alphonsus F. D'Souza - Revision history

>Rathfelder at 16:38, 9 April 2021