Kathmandu:

Leading a flock of believers is not new to him. But on May 5, he was bestowed with a bigger responsibility: he was ordained the Bishop, and became Nepal’s first Catholic Bishop.

The Episcopal ordination of Msgr Anthony F Sharma, SJ, the First Apostolic Vicar of Nepal, was solemnised at the Assumption Church here which was attended by hundreds.

Born into a Hindu Brahmin family on December 20, 1937, in Gorkha district, Bishop-elect Anthony was educated in Kurseong, India where he converted into Christianity. After completing his education, he became a priest of the Jesuit order and has been leading the Catholics in Nepal since the country was made sui iuris (self-governing) Catholic mission by the Vatican in 1983. He was the first ethnic Nepali to be ordained a Jesuit priest. From 1984-96, he led the Church in Nepal as its topmost leader as Ecclesiastical Superior, and he became the Apostolic Prefect in 1997.

With Nepal being raised to the the status of a Vicariate (church designated area) by Pope Benedict XVI, his has now become a Vicar.

Hundreds had gathered for the ordination and the church was packed to the rafters even before the appointed time of 9:00 am.

His congregation, well-wishers, admirers and friends had come to witness his next step in his service to the Church. Special guests at the ordination were archbishops, bishops, and even a cardinal, from Japan, Kuala Lumpur, India, Canada, among other places.

“Bishop is the image of Christ, the model of holiness,” said Most Reverend Pedro Lopez Quintana, Papal Nuncio to India and Nepal, as he described what a bishop is to be like. He

was the main consecrator at the ordination, with Most Rev Benedict J Osta, SJ (Archbishop of Patna) and Rt Rev Thomas D’Souza (Bishop of Bagdogra) as co-consecrators.

He also reminded the Bishop-elect of Christ’s promise that none of the Church servants would be left alone. He quoted Christ’s words, “Behold I am with you always.”

Accompanied by hymns and prayers, one could not help but feel that one was in the presence of all that was holy as the Bishop-elect took his solemn vows that he would lead his flock as a good shepherd would, that he would carry on Christ’s work as St Peter had done. He prostrated himself before all as the congregation together with the Church leaders prayed to the saints to help him in his work.

Then in the presence of God and his Church, Most Rev Quintana completed the investiture by putting a ring on the Bishop-elect’s finger, mitre on his head and arming his hand with the pastoral staff.

The three hold deep meanings: the ring is the symbol of fidelity and calls on the Bishop to be faithful to the Church, which is the spouse of Christ; mitre is the crown of glory and symbolises the splendour of holiness; the staff is the symbol of the pastoral office and reminds the Bishop to lead his people as a good shepherd.

With the investiture complete, the Nepali Catholic congregation were given their very own Bishop Anthony, which was greeted by rounds of applause and clappings.

No Mass is complete without the Holy Eucharist, and as other fathers were distributing the bread of life, Bishop Anthony looked on from his seat on the altar as a benevolent father would look on his children.