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Karel Choennie

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Karel Choennie
Choennie (2018)
ChurchSaint Peter and Paul Cathedral
ArchdiocesePort of Spain
DioceseParamaribo
Appointed11 November 2015
PredecessorWilhelmus de Bekker [nl]
Orders
Ordination3 August 1985
Consecration24 January 2016
by Wilhelmus de Bekker
Personal details
Born
Karel Martinus Choennie

(1958-12-20) 20 December 1958 (age 65)
NationalitySuriname
DenominationRoman Catholic
MottoDiliges dominum et proximum
Coat of armsKarel Choennie's coat of arms

Karel Martinus Choennie (born 20 December 1958) is a Surinamese Roman Catholic bishop. As of 2016, he is the current Bishop of Paramaribo. He is the first bishop in Suriname of Indian descent.[1]

Biography

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Choennie was born on 20 December 1958. In 1976, he left for the Netherlands to study pedagogy at Radboud University Nijmegen, and obtained his bachelor's degree in 1978.[2] Next, he went to the monastery of Mount Saint Benedict in Trinidad and Tobago,[3] and graduated in theology at the University of the West Indies in 1984. On 3 August 1985, he was ordained priest.[2][4] In 1996, he studied pastoral theology at KU Leuven, and graduated in 1998.[2]

On 11 November 2015, Choennie was appointed Bishop of Paramaribo,[5] and consecrated on 24 January 2016 by Wilhelmus de Bekker [nl].[6]

Positions

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During the military dictatorship, Choennie was a vocal critic of the human rights violations which had occurred. When he criticized the amnesty for December Murders, he was labelled enemy of the people by President Desi Bouterse.[3]

In 2019, Choennie was one of the bishops who voted for the inclusion of married and female priests during the Amazon synod.[7][8] Pope Francis later rejected the conclusions of the synod.[9]

Choennie has expressed his concerns about climate change, and called for a radical change in the production and consumption culture.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Bisschop van Paramaribo luidt 1e Kerstdag Suriname in". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Curriculum Vitae Mgr. Karel Choennie". Bisdom Paramaribo (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Surinamer wordt tiende RK bisschop van Paramaribo". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Kerk en Wereld". Amigoe (in Dutch). 30 August 1985.
  5. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 11.11.2015". Press Office of the Holy See (in Italian). 11 November 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Bishop of Paramaribo, Suriname, Antilles". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Ik denk dat de priesterwijding van vrouwen onontkoombaar is". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Amazonas-Synode stimmt für verheiratete Priester in Ausnahmefällen". Katholisch.de (in German). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. ^ "POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION QUERIDA AMAZONIA". Press Office of the Holy See. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Opwarming aarde rode draad in nieuwjaarsboodschappen". Star Nieuws. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Paramaribo
24 January 2016
Succeeded by
incumbent