23/09/2025
New Delhi, 20 September 2025 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Thomas D’Souza from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, effective September 20, 2025. With this, Coadjutor Archbishop Elias Frank automatically succeeds him, becoming the 10th Archbishop of Calcutta.
In a personal message to the priests, religious and lay faithful of the archdiocese, Archbishop Thomas expressed gratitude: “I am grateful to Almighty God, to our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, all the clergy, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, for the opportunity I was given to serve since 23 February 2012.”
Announcing his next assignment, Archbishop Thomas shared that he would serve as Assistant Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Barasat, beginning September 29, 2025, and will reside in the parish presbytery.
The Archdiocese has scheduled a Solemn Thanksgiving Mass at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary, Kolkata. The Eucharist will be presided over by the new Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. Elias Frank, and concelebrated by His Excellency Most Rev. Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India, along with the regional bishops.
Brief Biography
Archbishop Thomas D’Souza was born on August 26, 1950, in Ayapady, Diocese of Mangalore, Karnataka. Drawn to the missions at a young age, he moved to the Diocese of Darjeeling in 1966 and was ordained a priest on April 16, 1977.
Following the death of Bishop Eric Benjamin in 1994, he served as Diocesan Administrator of Darjeeling until 1997. On June 14, 1997, he was appointed the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Bagdogra and was ordained bishop on January 25, 1998.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of Calcutta on March 12, 2011, and he succeeded Archbishop Lucas Sircar, S.D.B., as Archbishop on February 23, 2012. In addition to leading the Archdiocese of Calcutta, Archbishop Thomas served as Apostolic Administrator of Krishnagar from April 17, 2019, to July 23, 2022.
