Tribute to Bishop Rego

On the 21st of June 2012, at noon the curtain was finally drawn on a colourful, vibrant and holy life of a Pastor after a heart attack of the Good Shepherd at the Clergy Home Bombay. A pall of gloom descended upon the Shivalik mountains at the foothills of the Himalayas on 24th June, 2012, as the mortal remains of Bishop Emeritus Dr. Gilbert Blaize Rego lay at Christ the King Cathedral, Chandigarh surrounded by men, women and children with teary eyes to bid him farewell with heavy hearts. Bishop Rego was a committed Pastor, a zealous missionary and, above all, a loving and lovable human being of a rare degree of noble character. After he had completed nearly 91 years of his earthly sojourn and over four decades of his Episcopal Ordination, the former Bishop Simla-Chandigarh was called by the Eternal Good Shepherd to share His glorious life in Paradise. Though his death came at a ripe age and 12 years after he demitted his office and after prolonged illness which he exemplarily suffered at the Clergy Home, Bombay, it evoked profound sorrow and painful feelings in every member of the extended Rego family of Priests, Religious and the Laity of Simla-Chandigarh Diocese. The sense of loss we feel is palpable. He spent his last year in the Archdiocese of Bombay and his last days at the Clergy Home there. Ever since his Episcopal Ordination Bishop Rego had been maintaining a fraternal bond between the Archdiocese of Bombay and Missionary Diocese of Simla-Chandigarh. Our Diocese is deeply grateful to the Archdiocese and the Clergy Home for the tender care they had taken of our former Bishop and genuine affection with which they treated him.

Coming to the personality of late Bishop Gilbert Rego, I should say that he was a priceless jewel on the diadem that adorned the Church of Simla-Chandigarh for a long 29 years. During his Episcopacy, Bishop Rego proved to be a man of versatile talent. He was a man endowed with a plethora of qualities of head and heart. A post graduate in sociology with vast experience of having been the Director of Caritas India and burning with zeal for missions, he was the right man chosen by the Holy Spirit to build up the Church in this region and shepherd his flocks with great care. Ordained and installed Bishop in 1971, he set himself to the enormous task of building the Church in this part of the Lord's Vineyard. The Church began to grow and expand, prodded by his clear vision and undeterred resolve. His loving and forgiving nature, his unimpeachable integrity, unquestionable impartiality, his uncommon measure of sensitivity towards the downtrodden and the suffering captivated the minds and hearts of everyone who came into contact with him. His untiring sense of dedication and indefatigable energy gave boost to the missionary zeal of his Clergy and Laity. The Diocese began to mark great strides goaded on by his initiatives and impelled by his able leadership. In the process he proved himself to be a general who led his men from the forefront by his example than by precepts. A man of deep prayer, solid faith and undeterred resolve he brought hope, growth and brilliance to the face of the Diocese of Simla-Chandigarh. His rare degree of committed and dynamic leadership made every mission centre bristle with activities. Every one found in Bishop Rego the source of encouragement and solace. Throughout his long episcopacy he remained approachable, kind, understanding and compassionate. His preferential love for the poor and the oppressed became a true mirror of Christ's compassion for the downtrodden.

His life was not a bed of roses all the way. There were times when he had to live and work without having even a room. All through his life he was forbearing, adjustable to all hard life situations. He had to suffer his own share of painful experiences. In spite of all these he was honest, bold, transparent and uncompromising in the cause of the Church and that of justice. Today the Bishop, the Clergy, religious and the marginalized sections of the society are beneficiaries of this great man's hard work. He built the Church in this region with great pains and guided it with deep sense of commitment and clear vision. It is because of his foresight, sweat, toil and silent suffering that the Diocese of Simla-Chandigarh is what it is today. The Diocese owes him much and we acknowledge our idebtedness to him with humility and gratitude. His mortal remains were interred on the 24th June in Christ the King Cathedral which he built with care and aesthetic sense and acumen.

This eulogy will be incomplete if I fail to pay tribute to Mr. Anthony Cajetan Rego and Mrs. Othilia Maria Rego, the beloved parents of Bishop Rego who brought him up with unending love and provided with high quality education. The diocese of Simla-Chadigarh is grateful to the entire Rego family for the person of Bishop Rego to us. We personally convey this gratitude to his younger brother Mr. Rudy Rego and his sister Mrs. Connie who were present at the funeral rite. We sincerely express our deep sense of gratitude to his Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias and the Archdiocese of Bombay and the Director of Clergy Home, Bombay for the tender care they had taken of our former Bishop. Similarly, we are deeply indebted to the Sisters of the Clergy Home where he received efficient treatment and tender care.

Certainly this funeral service is an invitation to all of us to look deeply into our own life in Christian perspective which guarantees, "When this earthly life is over you prepare for us an everlasting dwelling". Every Christian death is an invitation to renew our life not in fear and trembling, but in love and trust based on the divine promises of the communion of saints. Therefore let his funeral service grant us the grace to pray earnestly to the Lord to fulfill his promise, "You shall be with me in paradise today" for the person of Bishop Rego. Till then Good bye and Farewell, Dear Bishop Rego till we meet again at the Lord's feet, Amen.

Fr. Thomas Anchanikal
Former Vicar General
Diocese of Simla-Chandigarh