Benedict Ganesh Singh
The Roman Catholic Church in Guyana on Wednesday announced the death of the former Bishop Emeritus Benedict Ganesh Singh, who passed away after suffering from an illness.
Born on December 2, 1927, Bishop Singh was 90 years old at the time of his death. He had served the church for over three decades.
His ordination to the priesthood took place in Rome on December 7, 1954; and in 1957, he obtained his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Propaganda College in Rome. His thesis was “The Theory of Revelation in Hindu Philosophy and Religion”.
He returned to serve the church in Guyana in December 1957, and his first appointment was to the Meadow Bank Church in Greater Georgetown. In 1958, Bishop Benedict Singh was placed in charge of the long coastal strip from Malgre Tout to the Essequibo Islands, and he served for over 10 years.
In 1968, he was named the first Guyanese-born Chancellor of the Diocese. In that capacity, he acted as Vicar General, and administered the diocese on several occasions during the absence of Bishop Guilly from the country.
On February 18, 1971, Pope Paul VI appointed Father Benedict Singh the Auxiliary Bishop of Georgetown.
Bishop Singh inherited the leadership of the church in Guyana at a time when everything in it seemed to revolve around the clergy. He, however, recognised the important role of not only the Guyanese clergy, but also of lay people in the work of spreading the good news of salvation.
To this end, he was responsible for the introduction of the Parish Lay Assistants (PLA) training programme very soon after he took over as Bishop. This took place not only on the coastland, but also in the vast interior regions, where lay people assumed more responsibility in the work of the church, taking on tasks of instructing and organising the local communities, even in the management of parishes and specialist areas such as heading the diocesan office for youth and religious education.
His tenure will be most remembered for the courage and zeal he showed in the struggle for democracy, justice, and peace in Guyana during the country’s more turbulent years.
He was a recipient of the Cacique Crown of Honour from the Government of Guyana in 1993.
The funeral service for the late Bishop Emeritus Benedict Ganesh Singh will take place on Monday at the Brickdam Cathedral.
