Rev. Deacon Roshan Philip
“For to me, life is Christ, and death is gain.” — Philippians 1:21
On 20 October 2026, a joyful and historic celebration took place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, Awali, Kingdom of Bahrain, as Roshan Philip was ordained to the Holy Order of Deacon by His Excellency Most Rev. Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia.
The ordination was a significant moment not only in Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip’s personal journey of faith but also in the history of the Catholic Church in Bahrain. He became the first person to be ordained a deacon in the 87-year history of the Catholic Church in Bahrain.
Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip’s journey to the diaconate has been shaped by prayer, family, parish service, formation, and a deepening desire to respond to God’s call. Through moments of joy and difficulty, success and failure, he gradually came to recognize God’s invitation to serve Him and His people.
Reflecting on his vocation, Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip expressed the conviction that God had already claimed his heart before he fully understood the call. The words of St. Paul became especially meaningful to his journey: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
The Rite of Ordination included the presentation and election of the candidate, the promise of obedience, the Litany of Supplication, the laying on of hands and the Prayer of Ordination, and the vesting with the diaconal dalmatic. These sacred moments marked Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip’s entrance into the ordained ministry of the Church.
As a deacon, his ministry will include proclaiming the Gospel, assisting at the altar, preaching, celebrating baptisms and marriages according to the norms of the Church, leading prayers, and serving the poor and those in need. Above all, the diaconate calls him to imitate Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
The celebration was made especially meaningful by the presence of Bishop Aldo Berardi, priests, religious sisters, family members, friends, parishioners, and members of the Catholic community from Bahrain and beyond. Their prayers and support have been an important part of Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip’s vocation journey.
Rev. Deacon Candidate Roshan Philip expressed his heartfelt gratitude to God, Bishop Aldo, the priests and religious, his formators and spiritual directors, his parish communities, and all those who accompanied him through his formation. He also offered special thanksgiving to his wife, Beena Roshan, and their three children for their love, patience, understanding, and constant support throughout his journey toward the diaconate.
This historic ordination is not simply the culmination of a journey but the beginning of a new chapter of service. As Rev. Deacon Roshan Philip begins his ministry, the Catholic community in Bahrain joins him in prayer, asking the Lord to make him a faithful servant, a humble minister of the Gospel, and an instrument of Christ’s love, mercy, and peace.
“Here I am, Lord.”
May God bless Rev. Deacon Roshan Philip and his family, and may his ministry bear abundant fruit for the Church and for the people entrusted to his care.
