PANJIM: The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed a Goan priest Fr Anthony (Tony) Pascal Rebello, SVD, as bishop of Francistown, Botswana. Fr Rebello, popularly known as Fr Tony, is from Fatorda and was in Goa for a long time to take care of his ailing mother.
He is the first Goan SVD (Divine Word Society) priest to be appointed as a Bishop. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Fr Tony was ordained a priest in May 1977 in India.
Most of the people from Fatorda, who knew him personally, were excited to hear the news. When in Goa, Fr Tony used to visit parishioners, mostly to distribute the Holy Eucharist to the sick in the village.
He was awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (1979-1981), and went on to serve as a missionary in Botswana, where he was parish priest in Palapye (1981-1984), in Kenya. He also held the office of provincial superior (1984-1987), in Antigua, where he exercised his ministry in a rural parish and then in the Holy Family Cathedral (1987-1990
In Angola he held the roles of parish vicar (1990-1992), parish priest (1992-1996) and Master of Novices (1996-2000).
He then continued his pastoral ministry in India (2000-2002). Since 2003 he has served as a missionary in Botswana, in the diocese of Gaborone, where he has held the office of parish priest of Palapye and Metsimotlhabe, and until now in the Holy Cross parish in Mogoditshane.