Lawrence Picachy
| Styles of Lawrence Cardinal Picachy | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Calcutta (emeritus) |
Lawrence Trevor Cardinal Picachy, (7 August 1916, Lebong, Darjeeling (India) - 30 November 1992, Calcutta, India) was an Indian Jesuit priest, spiritual guide of Mother Teresa, and later Archbishop of Calcutta (1969 to 1992). He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1976.
Biography
After completing the Higher Secondary Cambridge course at St. Joseph College in Darjeeling, Picachy entered the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuits, in 1934. Novitiate training in St. Stanislaus College (Jharkhand), was followed by Philosophical studies at the Sacred Heart College in Shembaganur. After a stint as a teacher in St. Francis Xavier College, Calcutta, he spent four years at St. Mary College (Kurseong) for the Theological studies preparing for the priesthood. Picachy was ordained to the priesthood on November 21, 1947, and served as a professor and rector of St. Francis Xavier College, in Calcutta, from 1950 to 1960, whence he began pastoral work in Basanti.
On July 12, 1962, Picachy was appointed the first Bishop of Jamshedpur by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 9 from Archbishop James Knox, with Archbishop Pius Kerketta, SJ, and Bishop Augustine Wildermuth, SJ, serving as co-consecrators. Picachy attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, and was promoted to Archbishop of Calcutta on May 29, 1969. He was later named President of the Indian Episcopal Conference in 1976.
Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of S. Cuore di Maria in the consistory of May 24, 1976. Picachy was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively. He resigned his post as Archbishop on April 5, 1986, after sixteen years of service.
The Cardinal died in Calcutta, at age 76. He is buried at the Jesuit Dhyanashram in Thakurpukur.