| His Eminence Telesphore Placidus Toppo |
|
|---|---|
| Cardinal-Archbishop of Ranchi | |
| See | Ranchi |
| Enthroned | 7 August 1985 |
| Predecessor | Pius Kerketta, S.J. |
| Other posts | Bishop of Dumka (1978-84) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 3 May 1969 |
| Consecration | 7 October 1978 |
| Created Cardinal | 21 October 2003 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 15, 1939 Chainpur, India |
| Styles of Telesphore Placidus Toppo |
|
|---|---|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Ranchi |
Telesphore Placidus Toppo (born 15 October 1939, Chainpur, Jharkhand, India) is a Cardinal-Archbishop of Ranchi in the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first Oraon Adivasi (tribal) Indian to be created a Cardinal.
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Born the 8th of 10 children, Toppo studied at St. Xavier's College, Ranchi and Theology at the Urbanianum, Rome. He was ordained priest on 3 May 1969 by Bishop Franz von Streng.
After a stint at Torpa (Jharkhand), as Headmaster of St Joseph's School and Director of the Lievens Vocational Center, Toppo was ordained bishop for the diocese of Dumka (7 October 1978) by Archbishop Pius Kerketta, S.J., and soon transferred to Ranchi (Capital city of the Jharkhand state) first as Co-adjutor and then as Archbishop (1985). A polyglot, Toppo speaks Oraon, Hindi, Sadri, English and Italian.
Toppo was made Cardinal-Priest by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003, given the titular church of Sacro Cuore di Gesù agonizzante a Vitinia.[1] He was elector at the 2005 papal conclave that elected Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.
He was the president of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India from 12 January 2004 to 19 February 2008. He also served as president of Catholic Conference of the Bishops of India (Latin) from 2003 to 2005.
On February 11, 2008, he called for the proclamation of a new marian dogma on Mary, Mediatrix of graces, Co-Redemptrix of humanity, with Jesus as sole and unique mediator.[2]
He pronounced a speech on the Eucharist and mission work at the Eucharistic Congress of Québec.[3]
Toppo currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute.[4]