Pune – Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and advisor to Pope Francis, has expressed serious concerns over planned mass conversion of Christians by RSS-backed group in Aligarh on December 25 and said it would be a sad moment for India if such a campaign is allowed by the government. Speaking to The Indian Express, the Archbishop not only expressed his reservations on “ghar wapsi” events, but also on saffron groups’ demand for calling ‘Fathers’ in Catholic education

New Delhi, 22 December 2014: His Holiness Pope Francis has erected the new Diocese of Kuzhithurai in Tamilnadu, India, bifurcated from the Diocese of Kottar, making it suffragan of the Archdiocese of Madurai. This Ecclesiastical Provision was made public in Rome on Monday, 22nd December, 2014, at noon local time, corresponding to 16:30hours, Indian Standard Time. The Church of the Most Holy Trinity at Thirithuvapuram, Kuzhithurai, Kanyakumari District, will become the Cathedr

New Delhi 22 December 2014: The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed Fr. Jerome Dhas Varuvel SDB, 63 years, the first bishop of the newly erected diocese of Kuzhithurai. At the time of his appointment, Bishop-elect Jeromedhas was the Master of Novices of the Chennai Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The bishop-elect was born on 21 October 1951 at Kallutharai, in Kanyakumari district, in the diocese of Kottar. He completed his High School from Carmel School, Nagercoi

His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Lordship Rt. Rev. Peter Celestine, OFM Cap., from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Jammu-Srinagar, according to Canon Law 401 § 1, and has appointed Rev. Fr. Ivan Pereira, of the clergy of Jammu-Srinagar, as the new Bishop of Jammu-Srinagar. From the same date, the Bishop-Elect is appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese until the date of his canonical taking possession. This was made public in Rome on W

New Delhi: Leaders of mainline Christian Churches in India on Thursday called for strong political will and administrative action to check increasing attacks on religious minorities in the country. “We the Christians who are a small religious community need assurance from the government that we are protected and secure and safe in our motherland,” the leaders from Catholic and Protestant Churches told a press conference in New Delhi. They also expressed grief over the killing

The Catholic Church in India, united in one voice, raises its hymn of thanking to the Almighty for raising Blessed Elias Kuriakose Chavara and Blessed Euphrasia Eluvathingalto the rank of Saints and ascribing to them the honour of the Altar. His Holiness Pope Francis presided over the Canonization Ceremonies at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, 23rd November, 2014, on the Solemnity of Christ the King, at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican. All the four Cardinals from India, scores of Bishops

It is with great joy and profound gratitude to God that the Catholic Church in India is looking forward to the historic moment of the Canonization of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Euphrasia Eluvanthingal, to be solemnized by His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican at 10.30 am on Sunday, 23rd November, 2014. This is an occasion for us to rejoice and at the same time, to thank God for the wonderful gift of these two saints to the Church in India, and to the Unive

Final Statement  Message of the 25 th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI Held at Vailankanni from 5 to 10 February, 2013 Called To Believe, To Love, To Serve and To Proclaim  Introduction C onscious of our Episcopal calling and with joyful confidence in the Lord we, 117 bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Health, Vailankanni, Feb 5-10, 2013 for the XXV Plenary Assembly and to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Conf

Final Statement 23rd Plenary Assembly of the CCBI Held at Chennai from 6 to 12 January, 2011 “Catechetical Renewal, Essential for a Vibrant Church in India” We, the 123 Bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, thank Almighty God for bringing us together for the 23rd Plenary Assembly held at Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee, Chennai, from 6th to 12th January 2011, to reflect on the theme: “Catechetical Renewal, essential for a Vibrant Church”. As official tea

Final Statement 21st Plenary Assembly of the CCBI Held at Mysore from 12 to 18 February, 2009 The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church  Preamble We, the 116 member-bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), gathered at Prabodhana, Mysore, from February 12 -18, 2009, the year dedicated to St. Paul, for the XXI Plenary Assembly, reflected on the theme:  “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”, as a follow-up of the XII Synod of B

Final Statement  19th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI Held at Aluva from 4 to 9 January, 2007   The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) met for its 19th Plenary Assembly in St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Carmelgiri, Aluva, Kerala, from January 4-9, 2007. Aware of the vital role of the laity in the Church and society, the bishops, at their meeting, focused on the theme: ‘The Vocation and the Role of the Laity in the Life and Mission of the Church’.   By way of prepa

Final Statement 17th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI Held at Ranchi from 4 to 8 March, 2005 to Families Aware of the vital importance of the family for the life of the Church and of society, we, the 102 bishops of various archdioceses and dioceses throughout India, gathered at Ranchi for the XVII Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), reflected on the theme, “Family for Christ – Good News for India”. At the conclusion of this meeting, we would

Final Statement 15th Plenary Assembly Held at Tiruchirapalli from 15 to 19 January, 2003 “Sharing The Good News” One hundred and sixteen Archbishops and Bishops, members of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, gathered at St. Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirapalli, from January 15-19, 2003, to study in depth the theme: Sharing the Good News. First of all, we sought to clarify the terms, evangelization and proclamation. Evangelization is to “bring the Good News of Jesus into