When news of Most Rev Theodore Mascarenhas’ elevation as the Bishop of Daltonganj (Jharkhand) broke out, there was an outpouring of praise and support across Goa and among the Goan diaspora.
But Mascarenhas has not let the euphoria distract him. He has
already begun planning how to carry out the challenging tasks he began working
on two years ago when he was the apostolic administrator of Daltonganj and the
Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi.
“Two-thirds of the Daltonganj diocese is virtually jungle. And
the people are very, very poor. The rural areas of Goa are nothing compared to
the rural areas we have,” Bishop Mascarenhas said.
Jharkhand has eight dioceses and Daltonganj is one of them, but
individually, each is three to four times bigger than the territorial size of
Goa, he explained.
The living conditions for the people there are far from
comfortable, the bishop said. Many reside in small, thatched huts, reminiscent
of a bygone era. While a significant chunk of the population relies on forest
resources for sustenance, the exploitation of residents in large mining areas
and the financial weakness of the territory only adds to their woes.
The region endured close to a year of Maoist attacks too, due to
which development was stalled, he said.
“We are only just coming out of that,” Bishop said. “For seven
years, there was no bishop, and the priests were neither prepared nor properly
trained. So, over the past two years since I took over, we have been trying to
remedy the situation. It is heartening that the people here are very, very
spiritual.”
The Daltonganj diocese comprises at least 90,000 Catholics.
“Therefore, there is a lot of hope. However, financial and human resources
continue to be a problem,” he said.
Visits to villages in these areas evoke childhood memories of
his own family struggles. “We were not miserable, not absolutely poor. We had
food to eat and fields to cultivate, which were sufficient enough,” he said.
It is to his family that Bishop Mascarenhas attributes his
inspiration and upbringing, particularly his mother, Maria Zina, and father,
Joaquim. “Despite financial constraints, they learnt to live within their means
and were instilled with a sense of appreciation for what they had. The beauty
of such experiences is lost in today’s world,” he rued.
Bishop Mascarenhas then delved into the teachings of three
influential figures — St Francis Xavier, St Joseph Vaz, and Ven Fr Agnelo de
Souza — whose principles have profoundly influenced his life. Reflecting on his
own journey as a priest at the Society of Pilar, he said that much of his
courage and lack of fear stem from this spiritual lineage.
“I’m not afraid of pain. I’m not afraid of harm that may be done
to me. I say that eventually, once one goes six feet under, everything is
peace. Everything is rest,” he said.
The
bishop will be a concelebrant at the main feast Mass of St Francis Xavier, at
Old Goa, on Monday. His brother and Baroda bishop, Sebastiäo Mascarenhas, and
the archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Ferrao, will also celebrate the
Mass.