New Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore takes charge

Pondicherry – Bishop Anthony Anandarayar of Ootacamund assumed office as the new Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore, at a public function on July 5. The installation ceremony was performed by the outgoing Archbishop S. Michael Augustine during a concelebrated Eucharist presided by Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy.

Archbishop Augustine read out the decree from the papal representative in India, Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana authorising the archbishop–elect to take charge without waiting for the Papal Bull.

Thousands of people, including the 91–year–old mother of the new archbishop, Mrs. Celeth Mary, witnessed the ceremony and participated in the civic reception following the Mass.

Tamil Nadu ministers, the French Consul, the legislators of the Union Territory of Pondicherry and bishops from the state were among the dignitaries who attended the function.

Pondicherry Chief Minister, Mr. N. Rangasamy said the people of Pondicherry were happy and peace–loving. “The reason is people here have real faith in God,” he said. He thanked the archbishop and the priests for instilling such faith in the people.

Bishop Peter Remigius of Kumbakonam, in his homily said, “The Lord who chooses a bishop gives him the strength to carry out the mission with courage and without allowing himself to be influenced by the will of the majority or the demands of a coterie.”

Felicitating the new archbishop on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Bishops, Bishop A. Malayappan Chinnappa of Vellore expressed hope that the new archbishop would put an end to caste differences in the archdiocese and identify himself with the helpless poor women and Dalits.

Bidding farewell to the outgoing archbishop, Fr. Philomin Doss said Archbishop Augustine espoused the cause of the Dalits at a time when the Church was going through a difficult period marked by groupism. “He always welcomed the demands of the underprivileged for their rights and he did what he thought best with great dignity, prudence, patience and composure with hatred towards none and charity to all.”

Born in 1945 at Varadarajan Pettai, Kumbakonam Diocese, Archbishop Anthony Anandarayar was ordained for Pondicherry Diocese in 1971. A doctor in Canon Law and Missiology, he served as professor at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore. He was appointed Bishop of Ootacamund in January 1997.