Cardinal Toppo resigns as Ranchi Archbishop

Cardinal Telopspore P Toppo on Sunday resigned as the Archbishop of Ranchi.

While a church source said that he was miffed over gang-rape of five tribal girls in which a priest was arrested, Catholic Bishops Conference of India General Secretary Theodore Mascarenhas, in a press conference the Archbishop House here, said the Cardinal, who is now 87, had submitted his resignation to Pope Francis couple of years ago but it had been rejected and he had been given an extension.

However with the changing circumstances, specially with Cardinal Toppo's declining health, the Pope has finally accepted his resignation as appointed Bishop Felix Toppo of Jamshedpur to replace him as Archbishop.

Speaking on the occasion, Cardinal Toppo said: "34 years of functioning as the archbishop is a result of dedication towards good and the cooperation of the people".

He also cited his bad health condition as responsible for his resignation.

--IANS

ns/vd