Cardinal Toppo Served Under Three Popes, Participated in Selection of Two

Prior to his death earlier this month, Cardinal Telesphore Plasidus Toppo has the unique distinction of serving as the Archbishop of Ranchi under three popes and actively participating in the selection of two of them.

"If we take into account his time as a priest, he had served under as many as five Popes," Theodore Mascarenhas, an auxiliary bishop assigned to the Ranchi archdiocese in 2013, said after traveling from Rome to support Cardinal Toppo.

Just 10 days before turning 84, on October 4, Father Toppo, the first tribal Catholic priest in India and possibly all of Asia, passed away. On October 11, he was buried in Ranchi with full state honours.

During Pope John Paul II's pontificate, Father Toppo was named Archbishop of Ranchi in August 1985. The same Pope also promoted him to the rank of Cardinal in 2003.

He was one of the cardinal electors present at the 2005 papal conclave that chose Benedict XVI to succeed John Paul II as pope.

When the elector cardinals selected Pope Francis to succeed Benedict XVI in 2013, Cardinal Toppo once more performed the same function.

Bishop Mascarenhas went on to say that Cardinal Toppo worked under Popes Paul VI and John Paul I in addition to being consecrated as a priest in May 1969. This is an unusual feat for a layperson to work under five popes at a time.

When questioned why he was sent from Rome, where he was working on a papal assignment, the bishop said, "The Cardinal had a number of plans that he couldn't manage to execute alone."

The bishop went on to say that Cardinal Toppo was extremely kind to young priests, just as he had impressed him when he had first met him in the early years of his priesthood. For this reason, the bishop decided to move from Rome to assume the role of auxiliary bishop at the Ranchi archdiocese.

Bishop Mascarenhas continued, "The late Cardinal was successful because of his polite nature. He had focused on raising the second and even the third line of sincere workers from among those in church ranks."

Cardinal Toppo was asked to continue, and he did so for more than three years, even though he could retire at the age of 75.

According to the Bishop, "Cardinal Toppo had a very affectionate relationship with Mother Teresa and always drew inspiration from her," which may have contributed to his untiring efforts.

Bishop Mascarenhas continued, "I was once told by the Cardinal that he had asked Mother Teresa how she got over her fatigue, and the Saint replied that she found strength after praying for a while at the chapel."