Media Release
Chennai, Jan 14: The conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) established two new commissions, for Ecology and Small Christian Communities (SCC). The members of the 31st plenary assembly of the CCBI held from January 7 to 14 January, at Joe Animation Centre, Mahabalipuram, here voted in favour of establishing the two commissions.
The Bishops decided to establish a special department for Ecology, as a response to the appeal of Pope Francis in his encyclical Letter 'Laudato Si' published in 2015, in which the Pope urges all people of good will to take care of our universe.
The proposal to establish a commission for Ecology was discussed in the 79th executive committee meeting of the CCBI held on May 1, 2018 at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru. Being aware of the importance and urgency to respond to the environmental challenges in India and trying to embark on a new path to care and protect the environment, the Bishops felt the need to establish a commission to deal with.
A commission for small Christian communities was also started to promote the Gospel values at grass root level and prepare all faithful to witness the compassionate
ministry of the church in their local life situations.
New chairmen for CCBI commissions
1. Dr Filipe Neri Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Daman, chairman, commission for boundary
2. Dr Antonysamy Peter Abir, bishop of Sultanpet, Kerala, chairman, Commission for Bible
3. Dr Thomas Macwan, archbishop of Gandhinagar, Gujarat, chairman, Commission for Catechetics
4. Dr Derek Fernandes, Bishop of Karwar, chairman, Commission for Canon Law and other legislative texts
5. Dr Alwyn D’Silva, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai, chairman, Commission for Ecology
6. Dr Francis Serrao, S J, Bishop of Shivamogga, chairman, Commission for Ecumenism
7. Dr Sebastian Kallupura, co-adjutor archbishop of Patna, Bihar, chairman, Commission for Family
8. Dr Eugene Joseph, bishop of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, chairman, Commission for Laity
9. Dr Dominic Jala, SDB, archbishop of Shillong, Meghalaya, chairman, Commission for Liturgy
10. Dr Victor Henry Thakur, archbishop of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, chairman, Commission for Migrants
11. Dr Raphy Manjaly, bishop of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, chairman, Commission for Proclamation
12. Dr Ignatius Mascarenhas, bishop of Simla- Chandigarh, chairman, Commission for Small Christian Communities
13. Dr Felix Toppo, S J, archbishop of Ranchi, Jharkhand, chairman, Commission for Theology and Doctrine
14. Dr Udumala Bala, bishop of Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, chairman, Commission for Vocations
15. Dr Francis Kalist, bishop of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, chairman, Commission for Women
16. Dr Nazarene Soosai, bishop of Kottar, Tamilnadu, chairman, Commission for Youth
Conclusion of the assembly
The bishops were accorded with a warm and affectionate welcome at the solemn public reception in the diocese of Chingelput on Sunday January 13. The holy mass was celebrated in Tamil at the Bishop’s House campus ground and presided over by His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias.
At a thanksgiving Hholy eucharist, on Monday January 14, presided over by the newly elected president, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão, the shepherds entrusted themselves and their dioceses to the divine assistance and prayed for the people of India.
The 31st plenary assembly came to a conclusion on Monday January 14 with a eucharistic adoration and benediction by Archbishop George Antonysamy, the newly re-elected vice president. 143 bishops from 132 dioceses participated in the assembly.
The conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is canonically the episcopal conference for the Latin Catholics in India. It is the largest bishops conference in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. It consists of 132 dioceses with 189 bishops.