Thomas Roberts (bishop)


Thomas Monsignor Roberts

Archbishop
Archbishop Emeritus of Bombay
Roberts blessing the foundation stone of St. Peter's Church in Bandra
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseArchdiocese of Bombay
ProvinceBombay
MetropolisBombay
SeeBombay (emeritus)
Installed12 August 1937
Term ended4 December 1950
PredecessorJoachim Lima SJ
SuccessorCardinal Valerian Gracias
Other post(s)Titular Archbishop of Sugdaea
Orders
Ordination20 September 1925
Consecration21 September 1937
by Archbishop Richard Joseph Downey
RankArchbishop
Personal details
Born
Thomas d'Esterre Roberts

(1893-03-07)7 March 1893
Le Havre, France
Died28 February 1976(1976-02-28) (aged 82)
London, England
BuriedKensal Green Cemetery
51°31′41″N 0°13′03″W / 51.5281°N 0.2174°W / 51.5281; -0.2174
DenominationRoman Catholic
ResidenceLondon
ParentsWilliam d'Esterre Roberts (father)
Clara Louise Roberts (mother)
Alma materCollege of St Elme
Parkfield School, Liverpool
St Francis Xavier's College
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall
MottoCarior libertas (Latin)
Freedom is more precious (English)
Styles of
Thomas Roberts
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Grace
Religious styleMonsignor
Ordination history of
Thomas Roberts
History
Priestly ordination
Date20 September 1925
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorArchbishop Richard Joseph Downey.
Co-consecratorsArchbishop Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn ,
Bishop Robert Dobson
Date21 September 1937
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Thomas Roberts as principal consecrator
Bishop Leone Proserpio13 March 1938
Bishop Valerian Cardinal Gracias29 June 1946

Thomas d'Esterre Roberts (7 March 1893 – 28 February 1976) was an English Jesuit prelate who served as Archbishop of Bombay from 1937 to 1950; in 1946, he left his Indian auxiliary bishop effectively in charge. In 1950 he was appointed titular Archbishop of Sugdaea. He was rector of St Francis Xavier Church, Liverpool, from 1935 to 1937.

After leaving Bombay, he dedicated himself to lecturing, writing, and the promotion of debate on controversial issues. He gained him a reputation in some Catholic circles as a "rogue bishop" or a "maverick". Although others applauded his challenging insights, the controversy surrounding him obscured the significance of his work in Bombay.