Telesphore Toppo

Telesphore Placidus Toppo (born 15 October 1939, Chainpur, Jharkhand, India) is a Cardinal Priest and Archbishop of Ranchi in the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first Adivasi (tribal) Indian to be created a Cardinal.
==Early life and ordination==
Born the 8th of 10 children, Toppo studied at St. Xavier's College, Ranchi and Theology at the Urbanianum, Rome. He was ordained priest on 3 May 1969. 
==Bishop==
After a stint at Torpa, (Jharkhand) as Headmaster of St Joseph's School and Director of the Lievens Vocational Center, Toppo was ordained bishop for the diocese of Dumka (7 October 1978) and soon transferred to Ranchi (Capital city of the Jharkhand state) as Archbishop (1985). 
A polyglot, Toppo speaks Oraon, Hindi, Sadri, English, and Italian. 
==Cardinal==
Toppo was made Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003. He was elector at the 2005 papal conclave that elected Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.
Toppo is current president of CBCI (Catholic Bishops' Conference of India).
== Views ==
=== Mariology ===
On February 11 2008, he called for the proclamation of a new marian dogma on Mary, Mediatrix of graces, Co-Redemptrix of humanity, with Jesus as sole and unique mediator. ZENIT
===Eucharist and mission work===
He pronounced a speech on the Eucharist and mission work at the Eucharistic cognress of Quebec. Ibid
==References==
==External links==
* Ranchi Diocese website
* Biography at catholic-pages.com
Category:Indian cardinals
Category:Indian Roman Catholics
Category:1939 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:Indian religious leaders
Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II
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