Bangalore 4 February 2023 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. James Shekhar (55) as new Bishop of Buxar, Bihar. says a message from Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara Deputy Secretary General, CCBI

This appointment was made public on Saturday, 4 February, 2023.

Fr. James Shekhar was born on 23 September 1967 in Singamparai (Tamil Nadu), in the Diocese of Palayamkottai.

He attended the Minor Seminary of Muzaffarpur and later the Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Allahabad.

He was ordained a priest on 26 May 1996, incardinated in the archdiocese of Patna. He held the following offices and carried out further studies: parish vicar at Mokama (1996-1997); director of youth ministry of the archdiocese and professor at St. Mary’s Seminary (1998-2003); studies for a licentiate in biblical theology at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (2003-2005); studies for the doctorate in biblical theology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria (2005-2009); secretary to the Archbishop of Patna (2009-2015); since 2015, Deputy Secretary of the Episcopal Council of Bihar, Jharkhand and Andaman.

He is presently working as a Diocesan Director for Social Work of the Archdiocese of Patna and Director of Bihar Social Forum. It will be recalled that the present Archbishop of Patna, was also elevated to Bishop of Buxar when he was holding the position of Diocesan Director of Social Work.

  Bihar, Buxar, Catholic Church