Bengaluru, January 25, 2023: The second day of the ongoing 34th Plenary Assembly of the CBCI started with the solemn Holy Eucharist celebrated by His Excellency Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, and other concelebrants.
Addressing the prelates of India in his homily, Archbishop Girelli invited their attention to the day’s feast: Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. Further, delineating on St. Paul’s experience, he emphasized that St. Paul’s conversion was to take the focus away from himself and put it onto Christ.
“As Catholics, we are called to act as catalysts for the transformation of the world in accordance with God’s plan. Our reading of the signs of the times, on the one hand, and fidelity to the Gospel, on the other, impel us not to be comfortable with the status quo, but to pattern a new way that is in tune with the active presence of God in history,” said the Apostolic Nuncio, urging the bishops to further grow closer to the Gospel.
“We, the CCBI Bishops, must not forget our task of being a headlight called to lead the Indian society to higher levels of justice, equality, inclusivity, solidarity and unity, based on the Gospel’s values,” Archbishop Girelli added.
Day 2 – Session 3
Monsignor Joseph Sayer, Former Director of Misereor, dwelt on the topic “Predicate Evangelium and its Implications for the Life and Leadership in the Church.” Archbishop Elias Joseph Gonsalves was the moderator of the session.
Msgr. Sayer, while developing the topic, highlighted the aspects of inculturation, cultural diversity and multiplicity of worship in India. Proclamation of the Gospel, he said, should not fail due to barriers of language and cultural diversity.
Msgr. Joseph Sayer, who was also a professor of theology, explained the preamble and governing principles in understanding the Curia, that it can no longer stand in between the Pope and the Bishops, but has to serve both as a connecting link.
“Unity of the Church should be built on cultural diversity,” he remarked.
Archbishop Anil Thomas Couto presided over the next session as he spoke on the topic: Synodal Relationship with other Christians.” He quoted St. Paul extensively to accentuate Church as one Body with many parts contributing to the overall functioning of the Universal Church.
“The Church lived on and expressed herself through synodal ways of oneness, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity. Synodality challenges us to be open to others’ point of view, to be listeners more than talkers,” the prelate added.
Day 2 – Session 4
The next session was on two topics: A) Synodal Relationship with Neighbour Religions, and B) Synodal Relationship with Mother Earth.
The first topic was presented by Most Rev. Dr. Felix Machado, Archbishop-Bishop of Vasai, who dealt at length with the crying needs for engaging in cordial relationship with the neighbour religions for a harmonious living. He outlined three important challenges to maintain a good relationship, challenges connected with three words: complexity, ambiguity and responsibility. He also laid down some key points on how to build concretely a viable and lasting relationship with the other religions.
The talk on the next topic that is Synodal Relationship with Mother Earth was delivered by Most Rev. Dr. Alwyn D’Silva, Chairman, CCBI Commission for Ecology. He outlined the importance of discerning Synodality with creation, significance of ecological Synodality and conversion for ecological Synodality.
Discerning what the Holy Spirit wants us to understand, he underlined that we are not here to debate but to listen and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation. To proclaim the Word, we need to first foster holistic relationship with all His Creation. He quoted Pope Francis as saying “We must therefore encourage and support ecological conversion which in recent decades has made humanity more sensitive to the catastrophe, to which it has been heading to a disaster,” He concluded his talk by referring to the Romero Prayer composed by Bishop Ken Untener.
In the afternoon, the bishops gathered in their respective regions to discuss and deliberate on the theme of the Plenary Assembly.
Later in the evening, the bishops commenced their recollection to be spiritually enriched with moments of prayerful silence and solitude. Fr. Joseph CSsR, is the recollection preacher to the Bishops. This recollection will end on 26th January 2023 by Eucharistic adoration and Confession.
Spread the Message of Love Urges Cardinal Tagle
Bangalore 25 January 2023 (CCBI): Inaugurating the 34th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) of the Latin Church, in Bangalore on Tuesday, 24 January 2023, His Eminence Antonio Luis Cardinal Tagle, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, exhorted the Bishops in India to promote the message of love.
Cardinal Tagle encouraged the Bishops to tell the story of love in order to promote communion and participation in the Church and the society. He reminded that it is the duty of each person to transform our society into a peaceful society through the message of love.
His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, the President of the CCBI and the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, presided over the inaugural function. He highlighted the beautiful diversity of India in his presidential address. He said that “Our country is a loom holding diverse threads of religions, spiritualities, cultures, traditions, languages and social strata that blend together to form a complex and beautiful tapestry. Alongside a profound spirituality, social and economic disparities deeply fragment the fabric of this nation.”
The 34th Plenary Assembly began with solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Antonio Tagle. His Eminence Filipe Neri Ferrão, the President, CCBI, His Excellency Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, His Eminence Anthony Poola, Archbishop George Antonysamy, Vice President CCBI, Archbishop Anil Couto, Secretary General, CCBI, Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore and Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI were the main concelebrants. More than 130 Bishops and 200 priests concelebrated the inaugural Holy Mass.
The inaugural meeting began with the prayer to the Holy Spirit by chanting the traditional hymn ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’. Then the dignitaries lighted the traditional Indian lamp as a symbolic sign of the beginning of the Assembly, while the choir chanted Shanti Mantra (asato mā sadgamaya – Mantra of Peace).
Most Rev. Peter Machado welcomed the gathering. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli delivered the benedictory message. The message of His Holiness Pope Francis was read by Archbishop George Antonysamy. The annual report of the CCBI was presented by Most Rev. Anil Couto, Secretary General, CCBI and the Archbishop of Delhi. Rev. Dr. Paul Parathazham, Director of St. John’s, provided some relevant information about the accommodation and other facilities. Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, the Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI, proposed the vote of thanks. The inaugural session concluded with the prayer led by His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad.
His Eminence Antonio Cardinal Tagle was felicitated as it was the first time he participated at the Plenary Assembly of the CCBI. Abp. Anil Couto honoured him with a Kashmiri shawl, Abp. George Antonysamy garlanded him with the traditional sandal wood garland, a wooden statute of St. Anthony was given to him by Abp. Leopoldo Girelli and the painting of the Indian saints was gifted to him by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão.
The recently appointed Bishop-Designate Sebastião Mascarenhas, S.F.X., former Superior General of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (Pilar Fathers), was accorded a warm welcome as member of the Conference. Pope Benedict XVI who passed away on 31 December 2022 and Bp. Alphonse Bilung, SVD, Bishop Emeritus of Rourkela Diocese in Odisha who passed away on 11 November 2022 were gratefully remembered. A moment of silence was observed in their memory.
The Guidelines for the Basic Ecclesial Communities were released by Cardinal Tagle handing over its first copy to Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão. The Guideline have been prepared by the CCBI Commission for Basic Ecclesial Communities.
The theme of the Plenary Assembly is “Telling the Story of Jesus in our Context: The Synodal Way.” In the afternoon, in two sessions of the first day His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle addressed the Bishops on the theme.
Late in the evening of the day a cultural evening was organized in honour of Cardinal Tagle. Mount Carmel, Jyoti Nivas, St. John’s Medical College and the musical group of Dr. Maya Mascarenhas put up various cultural items.
The 34th Plenary Assembly will conclude on 30 January 2023 at 1pm. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India consists of 132 dioceses and 190 Bishops. The CCBI animates the Church in India through its 16 Commissions, 6 Departments and 4 Apostolates. Its main Secretariat is in Bangalore with extensions in Goa, Delhi and Pachmarhi (MP). The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), which is the Canonical National Episcopal Conference, is the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI