On January 31, 2026, Father Newton Tripura was ordained as a priest of the Jesuit Congregation. Lawrence Subrata Howlader, CSC, Archbishop of the Chittagong Metropolitan Archdiocese, ordained Deacon Newton Tripura to the priesthood. With this sacred milestone, Father Newton Tripura became the first Jesuit priest from the Tripura community of Bangladesh.
Born on January 30, 1989, Newton Patrick Tripura demonstrated dedication to education and religious life from an early age. After completing his primary and secondary education at various institutions, he passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in 2007 under the Barisal Board.
In 2009, he completed his intermediate studies at Notre Dame College. He then entered the pre-novitiate formation at Kuchilabari and formally began his novitiate in Sri Lanka in 2010. On July 31, 2012, he professed his first vows and later that year entered the juniorate stage of religious formation.
From 2013 to 2016, Father Newton pursued college studies in sociology in Chennai, followed by studies in philosophy from 2016 to 2018. During 2018–2019, he served as a teacher and assistant pre-novice director at Kuchilabari.
As part of his higher education and pastoral formation, he completed his master’s degree in social work at St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, between 2019 and 2021. He then undertook theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 2022 to 2025.
From 2025 to 2026, he served as a deacon at St. Francis Xavier’s Parish in Bhabanipur, actively engaging in pastoral ministry and social service, which further strengthened his preparation for priesthood.
After nearly fifteen years of rigorous formation and spiritual journey, Father Newton Tripura’s ordination stands as a moment of pride and inspiration for the Christian community, symbolizing hope and renewed commitment to service.
