Thomas Ignatius MacWan

{{Short description|Indian Catholic archbishop}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = archbishop

| honorific-prefix = The Most Reverend

| name = Thomas Ignatius Macwan

| honorific-suffix =

| title = Archbishop of Gandhinagar

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| archdiocese = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar

| see = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar

| appointed = 12 June 2015

| term_start = 12 September 2015

| predecessor = Stanislaus Fernandes, S.J.

| successor =

| other_post =

| ordination = 9 April 1988

| ordained_by =

| consecration = 11 January 2003

| consecrated_by = Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, S.J.

| cardinal =

| rank =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|10|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bhavnagar Gujarat

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Indian

| residence = Archbishop's House, Sector 8, Gandhinagar 382 008. Gujarat

| previous_post = {{unbulleted list|Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahmedabad}}

| coat_of_arms =

| motto = CALLED TO DO GOOD

}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name = Thomas Ignatius Macwan

| dipstyle=The Most Reverend

| offstyle=Your Excellency

| relstyle=Monsignor

| deathstyle=not applicable}}

Archbishop Thomas Ignatius Macwan{{Cite web|url=http://jagadishchristian.com/?p=7000|title=The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Hon. Bishop Thomas Macwan as Archbishop of Gandhinagar Archdiocese. {{!}} Jagadish Christian.Com|website=jagadishchristian.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-21}}{{Cite web|url=http://robertjohnkennedy.blogspot.com/2015/06/bishop-thomas-macwan-of-ahmedabad.html|title=ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY: Bishop Thomas Macwan of Ahmedabad diocese is appointed as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Gandhinagar, Gujarat.|last=Kennedy|first=Robert John|date=2015-06-13|website=ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY|access-date=2017-08-21}}{{Cite web|url=http://vijaymacwan.blogspot.com/2014/07/rt-bishop-thomas-macwan-meets-holy.html|title=Rt. Bishop Thomas Macwan meets the Holy Father Pope Francis|access-date=2017-08-21}}{{Citation|last=BBN|title=Rev. Bishop Thomas Macwan|date=2010-10-13|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaRGoUOHfLY|accessdate=2017-08-21}}{{Citation|last=BBN|title=Installation of Arch Bishop Thomas Macwan|date=2015-09-14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77C6MYrpnpE|accessdate=2017-08-21}} is the current archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar.{{Cite web|url=http://apostolicnunciatureindia.com/?p=17453|title=Apostolic Nunciature, India » Installation of bishop Thomas Ignatius Macwan as the Archbishop of Gandhinagar|website=apostolicnunciatureindia.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-21}}{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bishop-Thomas-Macwan-is-Gujarats-new-archbishop/articleshow/47922932.cms|title=Bishop Thomas Macwan is Gujarat's new archbishop - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-08-21}}

Early life

Bishop Thomas was born on 14 October 1952 in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Priesthood

Thomas was ordained a Catholic priest on 9 April 1988.

Episcopate

Thomas was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahmedabad on 11 November 2002 and ordained Bishop on 11 January 2003. He was appointed Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar on 12 June 2015 and installed on 12 September 2015 by Pope Francis.{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/34296121.cms|title=Bishop Macwan takes over Ahmedabad diocese - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-08-21}}{{Cite news|url=http://archgandhinagar.org/our-diocese/archbishop-thomas-macwan/|title=Archbishop Thomas Macwan - Archdiocese of Gandhinagar|work=Archdiocese of Gandhinagar|access-date=2017-06-18|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://directory.ucanews.com/bishops/archbishop-macwan/789|title=Archbishop Thomas Ignatius Macwan {{!}} Archbishop of Gandhinagar Archdiocese Thomas Ignatius Macwan {{!}} Ucanews|website=directory.ucanews.com|access-date=2017-06-18}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmacwan.html|title=Archbishop Thomas Ignatius Macwan [Catholic-Hierarchy]|last=Cheney|first=David M.|website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org|access-date=2017-06-18}}

Controversy

During the 2017 campaign for Gujarat Assembly elections, Archbishop MacWan issued a letter to the Christian community suggesting that they pray for the election of "humane leaders", to "save" India "from nationalist forces".{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/gujarat-assembly-elections-2017/gandhinagar-archbishop-to-followers-pray-for-election-of-humane-leaders-4950410/|title=Gandhinagar Archbishop to followers: Pray for election of humane leaders|date=2017-11-23|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2019-07-14}} The Legal Rights Observatory lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against the archbishop. The Election Commission served a notice to the archbishop, asking for an explanation.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/gujarat-assembly-elections-2017/ec-notice-to-archbishop-for-letter-seeking-prayers-for-election-4954875/|title=EC notice to archbishop for letter seeking prayers for election|date=2017-11-26|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2019-07-14}}

References

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