Patna Archdiocese

Archbishop Benedict J. Osta, S.J.

breathed his last

around 5.20 am on January 30, 2014.

Those wishing to pay homage

to this great shepherd of Christians

in Patna for 27 years, could do so

at Kurji Holy Family Hospital.

His funeral services will be held

at Queen of the Apostles Church, Kurji

at 2.00 pm on Saturday, February 01, 2014. The mortal remains would be laid to rest

at the cemetery of XTTI, Digha Ghat

after the funeral Mass at Kurji.

Abp William has requested
all the catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Patna
to remain closed on Saturday, 1st Feb. 2014.

Archbishop Emeritus Benedict John Osta S J was born on 15^th August 1931 as the fifth of the seven children to Mr. John Osta and Ms. Anna John Osta in Bettiah, West Champaran.  After completing high school studies he entered the Society of Jesus on 20^th July 1950.  He completed his priestly as well as higher studies in the University of Chicago and was ordained a Priest on 9^th June 1963.

He was the novice master from 1969 to 1976 and then he was appointed Vicar General of Patna Diocese in September 1976.  At the retirement of Bishop Augustine Wildermuth S.J the diocese was bifurcated in 1980 and Fr. Benedict was appointed Bishop of Patna Diocese. He was ordained Bishop at St. Xavier’s School Campus on 21 June 1980. When in 1999 Patna diocese was elevated to an Archdiocese, Bishop Benedict was installed as the first Archbishop of the Archdiocese on 11 July 1999 at St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral, Bankipur. In 2007 he submitted his resignation on becoming 75 years and it was accepted by Rome and thus retired from active ministry. He moved over to XTTI in 2008 and has been there ever since. Physically he has been keeping good health and could move around without any help. Since a couple of years, he started losing memory though he would recognize people and interact with them without any difficulty. Lately, he had to be forced to take his food and once he had to be admitted in Holy Family hospital with some stomach problem. But he was out of the hospital soon and back to normal.

On 23 January, his condition started deteriorating. He went into coma and would not respond to any interaction with him. He would not take any food and so he had to be fed liquid food through tube. He also had gastro-enteritis and other related digestive complications. At the advice of his doctor, he was shifted to Holy family Hospital.