Media Release
Bengaluru, Nov 20: The commission for canon law of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) commendably organised a three-day National Conference (November 13th – 15th) for provincials and superiors general of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in Paalana Bhavana, Bangalore. The gathering brought together 66 provincials, 14 general councilors, and 7 superiors general from across the country, as well as one Abbot General from Sri Lanka.
The conference opened with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by archbishop Dr S Antonysamy, DCL, chairman of the Canon Law Commission. This was followed by the inaugural session, during which the archbishop delivered the keynote address on the synodal implications for authority in religious life.
Across seven thematic sessions, the conference addressed key canonical and pastoral areas of religious life, including the formation of candidates, the administration of temporal goods, safeguarding issues, exclaustration, transfer and departure processes, the three kinds of dismissal, and the relationship between bishops and religious.
Archbishop Dr Peter Machado DCL, vice president of the CCBI and archbishop of Bangalore, celebrated Mass for the participants and highlighted the importance of humility and servant leadership in ecclesial governance.
Prof Merlin Rengith Ambrose DCL, the executive secretary of the Canon Law Commission in the CCBI, served as a resource person for the session on Safeguarding Issues in the Religious life and Catholic Church, and meticulously coordinated the entire national conference. All the participants expressed deep appreciation for this noble initiative of the commission for canon law in CCBI and the systematic coordination of the entire event. They recommended organising a similar conference in North India and requested that such formative programmes be held in the upcoming months.
The national conference concluded with a panel discussion focusing on canonical challenges in religious institutes, secular institutes, and societies of apostolic life.