About 2,500 Catholics including Vatican ambassador Archbishop George Kocherry, eight bishops and about 100 priests and religious attended the installation ceremony of Bishop Lawrence Subrato Howlader of newly erected Barisal Diocese on Jan. 29.
The installation ceremony and civic reception program was held at St. Peter's Cathedral Church in southern Barisal city.
Pope Francis erected Barisal Diocese on Dec. 29, dividing Chittagong Diocese and appointing Auxiliary Bishop Lawrence Subrato Howlader of Chittagong as the bishop of the new diocese. Barisal is the eighth Catholic diocese in Bangladesh. The new diocese has six parishes and about 16,900 Catholics out of a total population of 1.83 million people.
"The new diocese is entrusted to take care of all people in the area, not only Christians. I hope priests, religious, laypeople and various organizations would strengthen my hands to offer various services including spiritual and pastoral care, education and healthcare to people," Bishop Howlader said during the installation program.