New Delhi: In a significant development for the Church in the eastern Himalayas, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Edward Baretto as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Darjeeling. The announcement, made on Friday, brings a seasoned pastor and scholar into a key leadership role as the diocese prepares for a future transition.
Fr. Baretto, 60, currently serves as the Judicial Vicar of the diocese and coordinates all diocesan commissions. Known for his calm leadership and deep commitment to pastoral care, he brings decades of administrative, academic, and parish experience to his new role.
Born on 5 January 1965 in Alampuri, Bantwal Taluk, in the Diocese of Mangalore, Fr. Baretto completed his early education at St. Thomas Higher Primary School, Nirkan, and Milagres High School in Mangalore. He entered the John XXIII Minor Seminary in Darjeeling in 1982, marking the beginning of a long and fruitful association with the region.
He pursued philosophy at Morning Star College, Barrackpore, followed by regency assignments in Nimbong and Kalimpong. Returning to Morning Star for theology, he was ordained a deacon on 10 October 1992 and a priest on 25 March 1993 at Sacred Heart Church, Lolay.
After ordination, Fr. Baretto served as Assistant Director of the Minor Seminary in Darjeeling and managed the diocesan bulletin Tea Leaves. He earned a master’s degree in philosophy from Jnana Deepa, Pune, and later joined the faculty of Morning Star College, contributing significantly to priestly formation.
His interest in canon law led him to St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore, after which he was appointed Judicial Vicar for both Darjeeling and Bagdogra dioceses in 2004. Over the years, he served in multiple parishes, including Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Liza Hill and Mary Mother of God Church, Relli Road, Kalimpong.
In 2022, he assumed leadership of the Divya Vani Pastoral Centre in Darjeeling. He also serves as Secretary to the Commissions for Liturgy and Canon Law, and since July 2025, he has been coordinating all diocesan commissions.
The Diocese of Darjeeling, erected on 8 August 1962, comprises the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, the entire state of Sikkim, and the Kingdom of Bhutan. The creation of the Diocese of Bagdogra in 1997 reshaped its boundaries, but Darjeeling remains a diverse and vibrant mission territory.
Today, the diocese is home to 47,823 Catholics, 73 parishes, 107 priests, and 244 religious men and women. Bishop Stephen Lepcha, 72, has shepherded the diocese for nearly three decades, and the appointment of a coadjutor marks the beginning of a structured leadership transition.
Catholic presence in Darjeeling dates back to 10 October 1846 with the arrival of the Loreto Sisters from Ireland. Their mission began just over a decade after Darjeeling was declared a hill station in 1835. The region itself was first identified in 1828 by Captain Lloyd and J.W. Grant and was later gifted to the British by the Chogyal of Sikkim.
Fr. Edward Baretto’s appointment is expected to bring renewed momentum to pastoral initiatives across this geographically vast and culturally diverse diocese, as the Church continues its mission in the Himalayan foothills and beyond.