Vatican City, 31 August 2026: The office bearers of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Friday, 28 August. The cordial meeting lasted for more than 45 minutes, with discussions focusing on the life, mission and pastoral concerns of the Latin Catholic Church in India. The delegation was led by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, President of the CCBI and the FABC and Archbishop of Goa and Daman. He was accompanied by Archbishop Peter

PRESS STATEMENTCatholic Conference of Bishop of India An Appeal for Prayer and Solidarity with the Victims of the Nepal Floods 28 August 2026 The Catholic Church in India stands in sorrow and solidarity with all those affected by the devastating floods and landslides that have struck the Nepal-China border region, claiming hundreds of lives and leaving entire communities in ruin. We join the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in offering our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the b

New Delhi, August 13, 2026 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Elias Frank of Calcutta as a member of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches. According to the decree issued in Rome, Archbishop Elias will contribute to the missionary and evangelizing mission of the universal Church through his service to the Dicastery. Archbishop Elias Frank was born on 15 August 1962 in Bantwal, Infant Jesus Parish, in the Dioc

Dear Father, Cordial greetings from the CCBI General Secretariat! I am pleased to share with you the electronic copy of the Liturgical Calendar (ORDO) for the year 2026-2027, prepared by the CCBI Commission for Liturgy. The CCBI General Secretariat will be printing the Liturgical Calendar (Ordo) for the coming year. Those who wish to receive printed copies are kindly requested to place their orders with the CCBI General Secretariat on or before 31 August 2026. The cost of eac

Pondicherry, 28 July 2026: Rectors of the Latin Church basilicas across India have come together in Pondicherry for the Annual General Body Meeting of the Association of Basilica Rectors of India (ABRI), being held from 27 to 30 July 2026. The four-day gathering has brought together 26 rectors representing the 30 basilicas of the Latin Church in India for prayer, reflection, fellowship, and pastoral planning. The meeting commenced with the celebration of the inaugural Holy

New Delhi, 16 July 2026 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Albert Hemrom (57), Bishop of Dibrugarh, as the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Guwahati, Assam. The appointment was made public on Thursday, 16 July 2026. Bishop Albert Hemrom was born on 27 February 1969 in Konapathar, in the Diocese of Dibrugarh. He began his priestly formation at St. Joseph's Minor Seminary, Dibrugarh, and pursued his philosophical and theological studies at Christ the King Colle

9 July, 2026 Ref.DS/1383/2026 Dear Sister/Brother/Father, Cordial Greetings from the CCBI General Secretariat, New Delhi! I am pleased to share with you the electronic copy of the CCBI News, January–June 2026 issue. This edition highlights the major news, events, initiatives, and programmes undertaken by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India during the past six months. I hope this publication will keep you informed about the life and mission of the Episcopal Con

Fr. Francis Appointed Deputy Secretary of the Odisha Regional Bishops' Council Bhubaneswar 27 June 2026 (CCBI): The Odisha Regional Bishops' Council has appointed Rev. Dr. Francis Puthenthayil, CM, as its new Deputy Secretary. He belongs to the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians). He joined the Congregation of the Mission on 11 May 1984 and was ordained a priest on 29 December 1990. He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law with specialization in Jurisprudence from Rome in Dece

New Delhi 24 June 2026 (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Anand David Xalxo (51), Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ranchi and Parish Priest of St. Mary's Cathedral, Ranchi, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Ranchi on 24 June 2026. Fr Anand David Xalxo was born on November 20, 1975 in Mandar, Archdiocese of Ranchi. He completed his studies at the following institutions: Elementary School in Mandar (1983–1989); High School at St. Ignatius School, Gumla (1990–1994

New Delhi, 10 June 2026: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) released the Indian edition of the Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, at the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi on 10 June 2026. During a brief ceremony held at the Nunciature, Msgr. Andrea Francia, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Apostolic Nunciature in India handed over the first copy to Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI. Ms Caroline Bus

Visakhapatnam, 7 June 2026 (CCBI): Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu, Archbishop Emeritus of Visakhapatnam, passed away on Sunday, 7 June 2026, at 2:35 a.m. at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam. He was 77. Funeral details are awaited. He was the Bishop of Cuddapah (1998–2002), Vijayawada (2002–2012), Archbishop of Visakhapatnam (2012–2024), and Apostolic Administrator of Srikakulam in 2019. He was the Secretary General of the CCBI (2005–2011). Archbishop Prakash was initia