Former Archbishop of Bangalore Ignatius Paul Pinto passes away
Archbishop Emeritus Ignatius Pinto passed away on 8th February, 2023 at 1.30 a.m. at the Senior Citizens' Home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, Richmond Town, Bengaluru, due to age-related sickness. He was 98 years old. The Funeral and Burial Services will be held on Friday 10 February 2023 at 10 a.m. St. Francis Xavier's' Cathedral, Fraser Town, Bengaluru.
He was Born on 18 May 1925, Bantval. He received Baptism on 23 May 1925 at Holy Family Church, Omzoor, Mangalore. He did his studies at St. Joseph's College, Bangalore and at Loyola College, Madras. He did his seminary formation at St. Mary's Seminary, Bangalore and Papal Seminary, Kandy, Srilanka.
In 1953, he served as assistant parish priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mariapura and during that year, he was also appointed as Secretary at Bishop's House and Professor at St. Mary's Seminary, Bangalore. From 1954 to 1956, he served as assistant parish priest at Our Lady of Victories Church, Campion Reefs. In 1956, he served as Secretary at Archbishop's House, Bangalore. From 1957 to 1960, he did HR studies at Madras. In 1960, he was appointed as Chancellor and Secretary at Archbishop's House and was in charge of the St. Thomas Building.
From 1961 to 1970, he served as Principal and Manager of St. Joseph's School, Briand Square. In 1968, he was elected to the Priest's Council and in 1972 he was appointed as the member of the College of Consulters of the Archdiocese of Bangalore. From 1971 to 1978, he served as Principal of St. Aloysius Junior College, Cox Town. From 1978 to 1986, he served as Parish Priest at SFX Cathedral, Cox Town. In 1986, he served as Administrator of the Archdiocese of Bangalore. From 1986 to 1988, he served as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Bangalore.
On 14 Nov 1988 the Msgr. lgnatius Pinto, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Bangalore was appointed as First Bishop of Shimoga diocese by His Holiness Pope John Paul II through his Apostolic Letter "Bonevolentiam Quidem Nostram." The Episcopal Ordination of the first bishop of Shimoga took place on 31 Jan 1989, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral ground, Shimoga. He was promoted as Archbishop of Bangalore on 10 Sept 1998 and was installed on 25 Nov 1998.
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II accepted the resignation of Archbishop Ignatius Pinto in conformity with the Code of Canon Law on 22 July 2004. Archbishop Emeritus Ignatius Pinto celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of his Priesthood on 24 Aug 2012. He is a priest for 70 years, a Bishop for 34 years.
On behalf of all the priests, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese and entire Christian Community, His Grace Archbishop Peter Machado expressed our deepest condolences to his siblings, close family members, relatives and friends. We pray that Almighty God may give all of them the needed spiritual strength to accept this irreparable loss in the spirit of true Christian faith and hope.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
