Media Release

Bengaluru, May 9: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has appointed Fr Dr Francis Gonsalves, Fr Dr Irudaya Raj Santhanam and Fr Anthony J Fernandes as executive secretaries to the CCBI Commissions for Theology and Doctrine, Canon Law and Legislative Texts and Laity.The appointments were made by the 79 executive committee meeting held on May 1.

Fr Dr Francis Gonsalves (58) is currently the professor of systematic theology Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune and a member of the Society of Jesus, Gujarat province. He has taught at Vidyajyoti College, Delhi, for 18 years, being the principal for 4 years. He has lectured at the Sogang University, South Korea, the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, and other faculties. He has authored 6 books, edited 6, and publishes regularly in India and abroad.

(Francis-Goanzalves, Fr Irudairaj, Fr Antony Fernandes)

Fr Dr Irudaya Raj Santhanam (60) is from the Archdiocese of Calcutta and presently is the dean of theology at Morning Star Regional Seminary, Barrackpore, Kolkata. He is also serving the Archdiocese of Calcutta as director for the formation of the major seminarians. He has been the secretary to the Canon Law Society of India from 2013 to 2015 and the deputy secretary of Bengal Regional Bishops’ Council from 2009 to 2015.

Fr Anthony J Fernandes (52) is from the archdiocese of Bombay and he is currently the parish priest of St Teresa’s Church, Girgaum, and the manager of St Teresa’s School, Mumbai. Fr Fernandes was the former youth director of the Bombay archdiocese and the executive secretary of the Youth Commission of the Western Regional Bishops’ Council.