Karel Choennie

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]

The Most Reverend Lord

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

(1958-12-20) 20 December 1958
Surinam
NationalitySuriname
DenominationRoman Catholic
MottoDiliges dominum et proximum
Coat of arms

Biography

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.[6]

Positions

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
  1. "Bisschop van Paramaribo luidt 1e Kerstdag Suriname in". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  2. "Curriculum Vitae Mgr. Karel Choennie". Bisdom Paramaribo (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  3. "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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