Most Rev. Dr. Leslie Clifford D’Souza consecrated as second Archbishop of Udupi Diocese
Udupi: Most Rev. Dr. Leslie Clifford D’Souza was consecrated as the second Archbishop of the Diocese of Udupi at a ceremony held at the Milagres College Grounds of Milagres Cathedral in Kalianpur on Monday.
The rite of consecration was performed by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, President of the FABC and CCBI, as the principal consecrator. Archbishop Dr. Peter Machado of the Archdiocese of Bangalore and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Udupi, Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, participated as co-consecrators.
The Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, along with more than 30 bishops, around 300 priests, an equal number of nuns, and thousands of devotees from different parts of the country, attended the ceremony.
The official letter of appointment from the Pope was read out during the ceremony. This was followed by the sacred rites of consecration, during which the Archbishop’s head was anointed with holy oil, the Holy Bible was placed on his head, and prayers were offered. He was then presented with the ring of authority, mitre, and pastoral staff, and formally installed, marking his ordination as Archbishop.
Fr. Steven D’Souza, Chancellor of the Diocese of Udupi, read the official letter of the Holy Father. The ceremony also included the exchange of the sign of peace among bishops and representatives.
In his homily, Bishop of Mangalore Diocese, Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha, said that the blessings of the Father are invaluable. He noted that in today’s society, the presence of a father figure is often lacking in many families and emphasised that bishops serve as representatives of the Most High in the family of God. He said that God has chosen his representative for the Udupi Diocese through Fr. Leslie and stressed that bishops must spread the word of God among devotees with love, adding that preaching the essence of the Gospel is a key responsibility.
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EC will leave no stone unturned to hold free, fair elections in West Bengal: CEC Kumar
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday asserted that the Election Commission will leave no stone unturned in holding free, fair and transparent polls in West Bengal where the first phase of voting is scheduled to be held on April 23.
Interacting with officials involved in poll management, the CEC said the elections will be fear-free, violence-free and intimidation-free.
Officials said the poll authority will ensure elections are also inducement-free and "booth jamming free".
No employee of the state government, local bodies or autonomous bodies will be allowed to influence the electoral process, they said.
The ruling TMC in the state has accused the EC of playing in the hands of the BJP, a charge vehemently rejected by the election watchdog.
The EC and the TMC have also been at loggerheads over the special intensive revision of voters' list with the party accusing the poll authority of deliberately disenfranchising voters to benefit the BJP. Both the EC and the BJP have rejected the charge while dubbing it as baseless.
The second phase of voting in West Bengal will be held on April 29 and votes will be counted on May 4.
