Bp. Albert Hemrom Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Guwahati

New Delhi, 16 July 2026 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Albert Hemrom (57), Bishop of Dibrugarh, as the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Guwahati, Assam. The appointment was made public on Thursday, 16 July 2026.

Bishop Albert Hemrom was born on 27 February 1969 in Konapathar, in the Diocese of Dibrugarh. He began his priestly formation at St. Joseph's Minor Seminary, Dibrugarh, and pursued his philosophical and theological studies at Christ the King College and Oriens Theological College, Shillong. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Dibrugarh on 25 April 1999.

He obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law from St. Peter's Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, in 2003, and later earned a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, in 2014.

During his priestly ministry, he served as Assistant Parish Priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Rajabari (1999–2001); Prefect of Studies at St. Joseph's Minor Seminary, Dibrugarh (2003–2006); and Parish Priest of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Rajabari, while also serving as Visiting Professor at Oriens Theological College, Shillong (2006–2011).

From 2011 to 2013, he pursued doctoral studies in Rome. On his return in 2014, he was appointed Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal and Rector of St. Joseph's Minor Seminary, Dibrugarh. He also served as a Member of the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council, Secretary of the Diocesan Commission for Laity and Family, Vocation Promoter, and Visiting Professor of Canon Law at Oriens Theological College.

Pope Francis appointed him Coadjutor Bishop of Dibrugarh on 2 December 2018, and he was ordained a bishop on 24 February 2019. He succeeded Bishop Joseph Aind, SDB, as the Bishop of Dibrugarh upon the latter's retirement.

The Diocese of Guwahati was erected by Pope St. John Paul II on 16 August 1992, with Bishop Thomas Menamparampil, SDB, as its first bishop. It was created from territories taken from the Dioceses of Shillong, Tura and Tezpur, with Tezpur contributing the largest portion. On 1 August 1995, it was elevated to the status of a Metropolitan Archdiocese, becoming the centre of the Ecclesiastical Province of Guwahati. The province currently comprises the suffragan dioceses of Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Diphu, Bongaigaon, Itanagar and Miao.

The Archdiocese of Guwahati covers an area of 13,961 square kilometres and serves a Catholic population of 63,335 through 47 parishes. The local Church is served by 67 diocesan priests, 155 religious priests and 516 women religious. The Catholic faithful are drawn largely from the tribal communities of the Garos, Rabhas, Bodos, Karbis, Tiwas, Santals and other Adivasi groups.

Dr. Stephen Alathara