Pope Francis has appointed Fr. John Carvalho as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Ajmer in Rajasthan, western India.
This provision was made public on March 1, 2025.
The 55-year-old bishop-elect is the principal of St. Paul’s Sr. Secondary School, Alwar Gate, Ajmer.
The Diocese of Ajmer became vacant by the resignation of Bishop Pius Thomas D’Souza on June 1, 2024. Bishop Oswald Joseph Lewis, Bishop Emeritus of Jaipur, was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of Ajmer on March 23, 2024.
Carvalho was born on April 10, 1969, in the parish of St. Philip Neri, Margoli, in the Diocese of Udupi. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Ajmer on May 13, 1996.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in social work.
After his priestly ordination, he was Assistant Parish Priest at St. Paul’s Church, Kota (1996-1999), and in charge of St. Theresa’s Church, Ladpura (1999-2001).
He was the director of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Social Work Centre, Ajmer (2001-2007), in charge of St. Martin of Tours Church, and Principal of St. Martin’s School, Bhawanikhera (2010-2015).
He was the parish priest at St. Paul’s Church and principal of St. Paul’s Sr. Sec. School, Kota (2015-2020); diocesan consultor (2013-2018); and secretary of the Commission for Education (2022-2023).
The history of the Diocese of Ajmer goes back to 1891. The Rajasthan mission was established in 1891. It was elevated to Prefecture Apostolic of Rajputana on 22 May 1913.
A change in the name of the diocese to Ajmer-Jaipur happened on May 13, 1955. The Ajmer diocese was bifurcated and created in Jaipur on July 20, 2005. Currently, the diocese has a Catholic population of 15,000 and 104 diocesan priests. - Stephen Alathara
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