Basic Ecclesial Communities

Brief History of the Commission

The CCBI established Commission for Basic Ecclesial Communities during the XXXI Plenary Assembly held from 7 to 14 January 2019, at Joe Animation Centre, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Tamilnadu. Them members of the Assembly voted in favour of establishing the Commission and elected His Excellency Most Rev. Ignatius Loyola Mascarenhas as its first chairman.

The Bishops decided to establish a Commission for Small Christian Communities to promote the Gospel values at the grass root level and prepare all faithful to witness the compassionate ministry of the Church in their local life situations.

The proposal to establish a Commission for Small Christian Communities was discussed in the 79 Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI held on 1 May 2018, at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore. Being aware of the importance of the ministry the Bishops felt the need to establish a Commission.

Office Bearers

Chairman

Most Rev. Selvister Ponnumuthan

Bishop of Punalur

Bishop’s House, Elampal P.O.

Punalur – 691 322, Kollam Dist, Kerala

Phone: +91-475-2225419, 2227078

Email: selvister.ponnu@gmail.com

Executive Secretary

Fr. George Jacob, SAC

Pallottine Animation Centre

Gorewada, Nagpur-440013

Maharashtra

Tel: +91-8999350783

Email: bec@ccbi.in

Member

Most Rev. Gerald John Mathias

Bishop of Lucknow

Bishop’s House, Hazratganj, P.B. No. 70

Lucknow – 226 001, Uttar Pradesh.

Phone: 0522-26225472, 2615644

Email: lucknowdiocese@gmail.com | gjmathias@rediffmail.com

Member

Most Rev. Niranjan Sualsingh

Bishop of Sambalpur

Bishop’s House, Ainthapali

Sambalpur – 768 004, Odisha, India

Phone: 0663-2541656, +91 8658174176

Email: diogese@sancharnet.in

Former Office Bearers

Former Chairmen

Most Rev. Ignatius Loyola Mascarenhas, Simla-Chandigarh: 2019-2023

Most Rev. Selvister Ponnumuthan,Bishop of Punalur: 2023-

Former Secretaries

Fr. George Jacob, SAC; 2019-