Holy Cross Priests Celebrate Their Jubilee in Maryland

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(L-R): Father Boniface S. Tolentino, CSC, Father Richard
W. Timm, CSC, and Father Adam S. Pereira, CSC
offering their jubilee Mass in a church in Maryland, USA

Photo by Jude V. Gomez

Bangladesh Christian Association of (BCA) of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., hosted three Holy Cross priests' jubilee celebrations at St. John the Baptist Church in Maryland on May 31.

On their visit to the USA, Father Richard William Timm, CSC, observed his diamond jubilee (60th year) of priestly ordination and Fathers Boniface Subrata Tolentino, CSC, and Adam Subash Pereira, CSC, observed their silver jubilee (25th year) of ordination with a special concelebrated Mass attended by special guests and members of the BCA.

After the Mass, the jubilarians were given a rousing reception at the church auditorium by the members of the BCA under the presidentship of Christopher Rodrigues. Among the special guests were Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury (Director of the Bengali Programme of the Voice of America -- VOA), Ms. Rokeya Haidar (an officer of the Bengali Programme of the VOA, Anis Ahmed (Commission of Asia-Pacific Affairs in Maryland) and Dr. Gholam Farid Akhtar.

Father Richard W. Timm, CSC, a Ph.D. in biology from the Catholic University of Washington, D.C., was born in Michigan, USA. He went to Bangladesh as a Holy Cross missionary in 1952. First he taught biology at the Notre Dame College, Dhaka and did research on nematodes. Later he became the principal of the college, worked as relief coordinator in the cyclone-affected island of Manpura, and was the Planning Officer and then Executive Director of Caritas Bangladesh. He also worked for justice and peace as the Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commision for Justice and Peace. In 1978, he was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal by the Vatican for his contribution in the field of relief and development in Bangladesh. In 1987 he was given the Ramon Magsaysay Award from the Philippines for his work in the field of international understanding. Presently he is well known all over the world as a human rights worker.

Father Boniface S. Tolentino, CSC, a Bangladeshi priest, was the editor of the Pratibeshi, the national Catholic weekly in Bangladesh for several years. He also worked as a Bengali programme officer of Radio Veritas in the Philippines, besides working in different parishes in the Archdiocese of Dhaka.

Father Adam S. Pereira, CSC, another Bangladeshi priest, worked in different parishes and a Holy Cross formation house. Presently he teaches at Notre Dame College.