“The joy of the Gospel” is the central theme of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) of the Latin-rite, held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, from January 8-14, 2019. As reported to Fides News Agency by Fr. Stephen Alathara, deputy general secretary of the CCBI, “the bishops will examine detailed plans and action plans to revitalize the ministry of evangelization, starting from the themes of mercy and compassion in the Church.”
The Assembly will open with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro. CCBI president, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay will preside over the inaugural meeting.
His Excellency Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, His Excellency Most Rev. Thomas Dabre, His Excellency Most Rev. George Palliparambil, Rev. Dr. Rudolf Heredia, S.J., Rev. Fr. Nigel Barret and Sr. Nirmala S.J.C. will address the Bishops on various aspects and ways to promote “the Joy of the Gospel” in India.
The Bishops will evaluate the programmes and plan-out future activities of the CCBI Commissions of Bible, Catechetics, Ecumenism, Family, Laity, Liturgy, Migration, Women and Youth, and the Pontifical Mission Societies. A pilgrimage for the Bishops is also planned and the participants will visit the tomb of St. Thomas, the Apostle of India and, during the works, the new President and leaders of the Conference. It consists of 132 dioceses with 189 bishops and is the largest Bishops’ conference in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.
