Walter Steins Bisschop

Walter Hermanus Jacobus Steins[1] SJ (1 July 1810 – 7 September 1881) was a Dutch Jesuit and Catholic prelate, who became Vicar Apostolic of Bombay (1860–1867) and West Bengal (1867–1877) in India, archbishop ad personam, and third Bishop of Auckland (1879–1881).

In 1832 he entered the Belgian province of the Society of Jesus, was ordained a priest on 8 September 1842 (in Louvain), and made his final profession as a Jesuit in 1849.

Steins obtained permission from his superiors to proceed to Borneo (at that time part of a Dutch colony) but went instead to Bombay where he exercised his priestly ministry until 29 June 1861 when he was consecrated a Bishop and assumed the office of Vicar Apostolic.

He brought to Bengal the French religious order of the Daughters of the Cross, founded the St Vincent's home refuge and many schools and orphanages.

Because of ill-health caused by a fall he was advised to return to Europe and he spent time recuperating at Conflans-sur-Seine, the novitiate of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Paris.