Pope Francis has appointed a Bangladeshi priest, Lingku Lenard Gomes, as secretary to the apostolic nunciature in Panama.

“This is a sign of maturity of the Church in Bangladesh,” said Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi. “The time has come for us to respond to our missionary call,” he said.

The bishop said Father Gomes “will be our missionary in a special way,” adding that in the future “we shall try to contribute more in the domestic as well as in the universal Church.”

Father Gomes is the first ever Bangladeshi priest from to be named to a diplomatic post.

“It is a great pleasure for me and for the Church of Bangladesh,” said the priest as he extended his gratitude to Bishop Rozario for “his constant support and encouragement.”

“I request all of you to remember me in your prayers so that I can be faithful and successful in my first diplomatic mission,” said Father Gomes in an interview with RVA News.

“I am not worthy but always ready to do my best for the glory of God and for the good of the universal Church,” said the priest.

Father Gomes was born on Nov. 17, 1981. He attended St. Mary’s Junior School and St. Louis High School before joining the Dinajpur Government College and Notre Dame College in Dhaka.

He studied philosophy and theology at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Dhaka and in Rajshahi College.

He was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 27, 2013.

He later worked as an assistant parish priest in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and the Christ the King of Peace Church at Chandpukur parish.

He was sent to Rome for higher studies and obtained a Doctorate Degree in Canon Law from the Lateran University.

Source: rvasia.org