Commissariate of St. Bonaventure – Bangladesh

2025-03-11 09:35:00        News & Events

As history reveals, the TOR Franciscan Friars had established their first Formation House ‘Assisi Bhavan’ on October 4, 1995 in the Diocese of Dinajpur. In the General Chapter of June 1995, the Order established the Delegation of St. Bonaventure, which was a unit of the Order dependent on the General Minister and the Council. On July 15, 1999 Most Rev. Bonaventure Midili TOR, then Minister General of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis blessed the new Novitiate at Dinajpur and received three Novices.

After 27 years of journey in the life of the Order, the Delegation of St. Bonaventure, Bangladesh, having 12 Friars (8 Solemn Professed priests, 1 Solemn Professed brother & 3 Temporary Professed) was decreed and declared ‘the Commissariate of St. Bonaventure, dependent on the Province of Our Lady of Lanka, Sri Lanka’ by the Most Rev. Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano TOR, the Minister General of the Order with the unanimous consent of his Council on August 15, 2022.

Thus, Very Rev. Fr. Roshan Wasantha Perera TOR, Minister Provincial of the Province of Our Lady of Lanka made a visit to the newly established Commissariate in Bangladesh from 2, September to 22, September 2022 with a view to evaluate the ministries of the Commissariate and to establish the new leadership team.

All the friars of the Commissariate, except Fr. Nikhil Martin TOR, who was in Philippine gathered at Shanti Nibas, Dhaka on September 20, 2022 to offer a thanksgiving mass on behalf of the establishment of the Commissariate of St. Bonaventure, Bangladesh. Holy mass was presided over by the Minister Provincial together with the Provincial Delegate, the two Councilors and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Gomes TOR, one of the pioneer members of the Bangladeshi Fraternity. Minister Provincial stated that he is really grateful to each and every friar of the Commissariate for the trust they had kept in the leadership of his Province and for their expressed willingness to welcome Sri Lankan friars to Bangladesh. He also wished that the Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Lanka would be able to lead and guide the friars of the Commissariate to a more fruitful and consecrated life in future.

As authorized by the Minister General, the first Comminssary Minister of the Commissariate and the two Councilors were to be appointed by the Minister Provincial with the consent of his Council. It was the unanimous decision of the Provincial Council to appoint a Sri Lankan Friar as the Commissary Minister and to appoint two Councilors from Bangladeshi Friars.

Rev. Fr. Thilakasiri Fernando, TOR was appointed as the Commissary Minister and Rev. Fr. Suzon Frederick Rozario, TOR and Rev. Fr. Baburam Vincent Hasdak, TOR were appointed as the Councilors of the Commissariate, effective from the 4th February 2023, on the feast day of the Province of Our Lady of Lanka. Until then, Rev. Fr. Augustine Kujur, TOR remained the Provincial Delegate to the new Commissariate.