His Eminence Telesphore Placidus Cardinal Toppo (84) Archbishop Emeritus of Ranchi, Jharkhand passes away on Wednesday 4 October 2023 at 3.45 pm. He has been hospitalized due to aging-related illness and was bedridden.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated on 7 October 2023, Saturday at 2:00 pm in St. Mary’s Cathedral Ranchi followed by burial in the Cathedral.
Emeritus Cardinal Toppo was the Bishop of Dumka (1978-1984) and Archbishop of Ranchi (1985-2018). In two terms he was the President of the CCBI (2001-2004 and 2011-2013). He was also the President of the CBCI (2004-2008).
Cardinal Toppo was born on 15 October 1939, at Jhargaon, a small remote village in the Chainpur parish, in the district of Gumla (now a Diocese, but at that time a part of the Ranchi Archdiocese). His parents, Mr. Ambrose Toppo and Sophia Xalxo had ten children. Telesphore was the eighth child of his parents. His parents were farmers and had a hard time educating the children.
Young Telesphore did his lower primary school in the village itself. He was compelled to go to a faraway village, Barwaynagar, for upper primary education as none of the neighbouring villages had an upper primary school. As a small boy, Telesphore walked 3–4 kilometers each way for his schooling. On account of the interest and enthusiasm of the boy for studying, his father, a poor farmer, made every effort to educate him. After completing his upper primary school, Telesphore had to walk still further to Lievens Barve Boy’s secondary school, Chainpur, until his matriculation.
In those days the Belgian Jesuit fathers visited his village. When he first saw them, the following thought immediately entered his mind: Why shouldn’t he do likewise if the Belgian priests could leave their homes and families, sail across the seven seas, and traverse the then impassable forests and ravines for serving and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the poor tribals. Until he became a priest, the question kept coming up often in his thoughts and served as his source of motivation.
Having been inspired by the lifestyle of the Belgian priests, he joined St. Albert’s Seminary. He graduated with honours from St. Xavier’s College, Ranchi. He completed his M.A. in history from the University of Ranchi. Later, he continued with philosophical studies at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi. For his theological studies, he was deputed to the Pontifical Urban University, Rome.
He was elected President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) for two terms (2001–2004 and 2011–2013). He was the President of the CBCI (2004-2008). Pope St. John Paul II honoured the thriving and blossoming Adivasi Church of Jharkhand by raising Archbishop Telesphore Toppo to the College of Cardinals on October 21, 2003. He was the first and only Asian tribal to have been accorded such a distinguished ecclesiastical office. He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI and in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.
Cardinal Toppo was a person of manifold qualities, some inborn and others acquired through self-discipline and insightful observation. He was starkly down-to-earth and fiercely demanding excellence. Orderliness and regularity were his hallmarks. His honesty, humility, simplicity, generosity, serenity, gentleness, courage, and self-confidence are the pearls of his great personality.
He was a priest for 54 years, a bishop for 44 years and a cardinal for 19 years.