MANGALURU: The Mangaluru Diocese has got a new shepherd, as Holy See appointed Most Rev Peter Paul Saldanha as 14th bishop of the diocese. The new bishop will lead around 2,48,860 Catholics in 124 parishes under the diocese.
His appointment was declared by
Pope Francis on Tuesday at Rome. It was also simultaneously announced in Delhi and Mangaluru.
Current bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza has served the diocese for 22 years and retired one-and-a-half-years ago. He will continue to be the apostolic administrator till the new bishop takes the charge as the bishop of Mangalore.
Peter Paul Saldanha, born on 27 April 1964 in Kirem parish, was ordained on May 6, 1991. He served as assistant priest at Moodubelle parish of present
Udupi diocese and in Milagres parish in Mangalore diocese.
He later went to Rome and earned a licentiate in 2001 and doctorate in Biblical Revelation in 2005 from Pontifical Urban University, where he had been on the faculty for a long time.
Fr Peter Paul Saldanha has authored a book titled ‘The Church: Mystery of Love and Communion,’ which reveals his knowledge and commitment to the church. He is known to be very people-friendly.