Bangalore: His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Most Rev. John Rodrigues (56), hitherto titular bishop of Deulto and auxiliary of Mumbai, as Bishop of Poona. This provision has been made public in Rome on Saturday, 25th March 2023.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation Most Rev. Thomas Dabre (77) Bishop of Poona from the pastoral care of the diocese.
Bishop John Rodrigues was born on 21 August 1967 in Mumbai and was ordained priest on 18 April 1998 for the Archdiocese of Bombay. After his ordination, he has been Assistant Parish priest at St. Michael Church, Mahim (1998-1999), Secretary of the Archbishop of Bombay (1999-2000), Professor of Systematic Theology, St. Pius X College, (2002-2011), Secretary of the Priests’ Council, Archdiocese of Bombay (2010-2013), Dean of the studies, St. Pius X College (2011-2013), Archdiocesan Co-ordinator of the “Year of Faith” (2012-2013). Since 2013 he was the Rector of St. Pius X College,
He obtained a Licentiate in Systematic Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome (2000-2002). He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay on 15 May 2013 and ordained Bishop on 29 June 2013. He is the member Bishop of the CCBI Commission for Bible from 2019 onwards. He is presently the Rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra, Mumbai.
According to Newzwaves dated 25 March 2023 (report captioned “Cars, Cash, Chic Crazy Cleric Dabre Dismissed and Damned!) Bishop Dabre did not resign but was replaced (dismissed) by the Vatican. The news portal report said that he had been to Delhi on 22 March 2023 to lobby with the Nuncio and also with the help of NCP bosses, for an extension, so as to “avoid facing various civil and criminal cases pending against him.”
The news report added further: “It will be very interesting to see how the incoming incumbent Bishop John Rodrigues handles the `Mountain of a Mess’ that he inherits from his predecessor. Newzwaves welcomes the new appointee who is reported to be a no-nonsense and tough administrator which is Pune Diocese’s need of the hour to clean the 15-year-old crumbled administration under Dabre.”
However, it is good that a new beginning is being made hopefully to cleanse the temple.
Newzwaves doesn’t seem like a credible source of information.