Pope Appoints Rev Rozario Menezes Bishop of Lae, PNG
Bengaluru: Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Rozario Menezes SMM, the third Bishop of Lae, Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Wednesday, October 10. Fr Rozario is an Indian Montfort missionary who had been serving the Church in PNG since May 2000.
He was born at Virajpet, Coorg district of the diocese of Mysore on August 30, 1969, and was ordained a priest on November 04, 1999.
Several bishops, priests, religious and laity besides diocese of Mysore felicitated him on the occasion.
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of Msgr Christian Blouin CMM from the pastoral care of the diocese of Lae, PNG. Rev Rosario is currently general counselor of the Company of Maria of Montfort. He joined the minor seminary of the Congregation of the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries) and completed his Pre University studies at Saint Philomena’s College in Mysore. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mysore. He completed Philosophical and Theological studies at Dharmaram College, Bangalore. He took his religious Vows on May 31, 1992. He was ordained a priest on November 4, 1999.
After his priestly ordination, he has held a number of offices. They include Assistant to the Master of Novices and Bursar of his Congregation in India (1999-2000); Missionary in the diocese of Daru-Kiunga, in Papua New Guinea (2000-2008); Superior Delegate of the Montfort Missionaries (2005-2008); Head of the diocesan Projects Office (2007-2008); Studies in Psychology and Counselling at the International Institute of Integral Human Sciences in Montreal, Canada (2008-2011); Once again a missionary in Papua New Guinea and Parish Priest of St. Martin of Pores (Archdiocese of Port Moresby); Superior Delegate and Head of Vocations and Formation of the Montfort Missionaries; Head of projects for the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (2012-2014) President of the Federation of Men Religious in PNG and the Solomon Islands (2015-2017); and member of the College of Consultors and of the Senate of Priests of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. Since 2017 he has served as General Counsellor of the Company of Mary of Montfort, Rome.
Rev. Menezes’ long experience in varying capacities and areas would go a long way for his future apostolate as a bishop, observed one of his close associates in Bangalore.
