Bishop Singh demits office
--Pope appoints Rev Francis Dean Alleyne to succeed him
Guyana Chronicle
November 11, 2003
AFTER more than three decades of serving as Roman Catholic Bishop of Georgetown, His Lordship the Most Reverend Benedict Singh, who has reached the canonical age of retirement, will be demitting office.
He is to be succeeded by the Right Reverend Francis Dean Alleyne O.S.B., former Abbot of the Monastery of Our Lady of Exile, Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago.
A release from the Diocese of Georgetown yesterday said that His Holiness Pope John Paul II had accepted Bishop Singh's resignation, and has appointed Rev Alleyne to succeed him.
Bishop Singh, a Guyanese, who has given several years of distinguished service to God and humanity, attained the mandatory age of retirement - 75, in December 2002.
A Priest of the Order of the Diocese, he was consecrated Bishop on April 18, 1971. For the following 18 months, Bishop Singh served as Auxiliary Bishop until the retirement of Bishop Lester Guilly. He assumed the office of Bishop of Georgetown on August 12, 1972.
According to former Vicar General of the Brickdam Cathedral, Reverend John Persaud, Bishop Singh will now function as Administrator of the Diocese.
Meanwhile, speaking with the Chronicle from Trinidad yesterday, a very modest Bishop Elect Alleyne, who is no stranger to Guyana, said that he will arrive here on Monday, November 17, when he will meet with the outgoing Bishop Singh and work out the details of the formal handing over.
The 52-year-old Alleyne, who has been an Abbot of the Order of Mount Saint Benedict for the last eight years, ceased to be Abbot as of yesterday morning, when he was elevated to the position of Bishop Elect.
As an Abbot, Bishop Elect Alleyne visited Guyana on several occasions to oversee the running of the Bartica Presbytery - an arm of the Order of Mount St. Benedict.
The Roman Catholic Church in Guyana is now looking forward to the momentous occasion when former Bishop Benedict Singh will be honoured for his dedicated service to the Diocese and also when Bishop Elect, Francis Dean Alleyne takes Canonical Possession of the Diocese.
The Office of the Bishop of Georgetown has as its primary role, teaching and governing and practising Christianity, in order that the Church will live up to its function of meeting the spiritual and other needs of its people.(Shirley Thomas)