Seminary of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

SERVANT OF GOD BISHOP BENZIGER

Adelrich Benziger was born on 31 January 1864 as the fourth child of Mr. Johannes Adelrich Benziger and Anna Maria Koch Von Boswayl at Einsiedeln in Switzerland. While studying in Belgium he had the opportunity to come into close contact with the Discalced Carmelites and after his studies in Eichstat on 18 May 1884, he joined the Carmelite Order of Flanders Province. He was admitted to the novitiate on 26 May, 1884, made his simple profession on 28 May, 1885, solemn profession on May 22, 1888, and ordained priest on 22 December, 1888 in the Cathedral of Ghent. Due to his ardent desire to become a missionary he left Carmelite Monastery of Ghent on 28 August 1890, reached India on 9 October 1890. In India, he was sent to teach in the seminary of Puthenpally in Malabar and also as its spiritual director.

When the Apostolic Delegate of East Indies, Msgr. Ladislaus Zaleski, visited the seminary of Puthenpally in the year 1892, he took Benziger as his secretary on 16 July 1892. He continued in that office until his nomination in 1900 as the Coadjutor bishop of Quilon. Msgr. Benziger took charge of the diocese on 14 September 1905, on the feast day of the exaltation of the Cross. He governed Quilon diocese 31 years, five years as the auxiliary bishop and 26 years as the bishop. He retired from his office on 10 August 1931 and in the same year he was made the Titular Archbishop of Antinoe for his various contributions. He then retired to the Carmel Hill Monastery of Trivandrum. Benziger died on 17 August 1942.