Goan-origin Bishop Tony passes away in Botswana.

Bangalore 5 May 2024 (CCBI): Bishop Anthony (Tony) Rebello SVD (74), a prelate of Goan origin who headed the Diocese of Francistown in Botswana in Southern Africa passed away on Saturday 4 May 2024. 

Bishop Rebello said Mass at the Marian Grotto/Shrine at the main parish centre grounds in Tonota-Francistown after completing the more than 20 km Rosary Walk with members of the Johane Mokolobetsi community. During Mass, he fainted and unconscious, then was brought to a rural clinic, where he died shortly after.

Bishop Rebello, who hailed from Fatorda, was born on March 18, 1950 in Nairobi-Kenya, and entered the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in 1969, completing his noviciate in Khurda, Madhya Pradesh. He concluded his priestly formation at the Divine Word Seminary of Pune (1969-1977) and was ordained a priest in Goa on May 10, 1977.  

Following his ordination, he first exercised his pastoral ministry in India and obtained a Bachelor of Education (1977-1979). He was then 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, where 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); and in Angola, where he held the roles of parish vicar (1990-1992), parish priest (1992-1996) and master of novices (1996-2000).

Pope Francis has appointed him as bishop of Francistown, Botswana, a southern African country on 5 July 2021 and was ordained Bishop on 4 September 2021.

Dr. Stephen Alathara