XXXI PLENARY ASSEMBLY THEME: ‘THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL’ January 7 – 14, 2019 Joe Animation Centre, Chingleput, Tamil Nadu A MESSAGE Introduction We, 133 bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), assembled at the Joe Animation Centre, Chingleput, Tamil Nadu, from January 7 to 14, 2019, for our 31st Plenary Assembly to reflect upon, pray, discern and respond to the theme: ‘The Joy of the Gospel’. This theme — which is the title of Pope Francis’ Exhortation Eva

All India Press Release Ref: DS/293/2019 14 January, 2019 Chennai: 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 7 to 14 January 2019, at Joe Animation Centre, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Tamilnadu voted in favour of establishing the two Commissions. The Bishops decided to establish a special department for Ecology, as a response

All India Press Release Ref: DS/291/2019 Chennai: Inaugurating the 31st Plenary Assembly of the conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) of the Latin Church, in Chennai on 8th January 2019, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, exhorted the Church in India to pay attention to the needs of the humanity. He said, “There is a need for the Church to attend to the needs of humanity, which is the joy of the Church in living the Gospel

Bengaluru, 2 January, 2019: The 31st Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is scheduled to be held from 7 to 14 January 2018, at the Joe Animation Centre, Mahabalipuram, Chennai. The Assembly will deliberate on the theme “The Joy of the Gospel” and will chalk out detailed programmes and action plans to revitalize the ministry of love and compassion of the Church at the diocesan and parish levels. The Assembly begins on Tuesday, 8th January, 20

Sunday, 2 December, 2018 (First Sunday of Advent) “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) To All Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Religious, Catechists and Lay Faithful of the Latin Catholic Church in India Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, Today we begin a new liturgical year with the season of Advent which offers us a sense of hope, joy and encouragement as we continue our journey of faith to celebrate the Mystery of the Incarnation. Advent refer

Ref: DS/241/2018 5 February, 2018 Bangalore, 5 February 2018: Inaugurating the 30th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) of the Latin Church, in Bangalore on Sunday 4 February 2018, His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India and the Archbishop of Bombay exhorted the Bishops in India to urge the faithful to become fully Indian and fully Christian. He said: “The Catholic Church needs our n

Promoting the Joy of Love In Our Families Message of the 29 th CCBI Plenary Assembly to the Church in India We, two Cardinals, 136 Archbishops and Bishops, representing the 132 dioceses of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), gathered at the Pastoral Centre, Bhopal, for our Plenary Assembly from 31 st January to 8 th February 2017 to deliberate, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, on the theme “ Promoting the Joy of Love in our Families ”. The choice of t

All India Press Release Ref: DS/109/2017 24th January 2017 The 29th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) to be held in Bhopal to invigorate the Family Apostolate Bengaluru, 24 January 2017: The 29th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is scheduled to be held from 31st January to 8th February, 2017, at the Pastoral Centre, Ashaniketan Campus, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The Assembly will deliberate on the the

Bangalore 15 October 2016: Pope Francis has appointed His Grace Most Rev. Dominic Jala, S.D.B., Archbishop of Shillong, as Apostolic Administrator “sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis” of the Diocese of Nongstoin. This ecclesiastical provision was made public in Rome on Saturday 15 October 2016, at noon local time, corresponding to 15:30 hours, Indian Standard Time. The Diocese of Nongstoin was created by Pope Benedict XVI on 28 January 2006. The Apostolic Nuncio to India,

Mumbai 14 August 2016: Most Rev. Raphael Cheenath, SVD, (82) Archbishop Emeritus of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar passed away on 14 August 2016, at the Holy Spirit Hospital, Mumbai. The funeral will be conducted on 17 August 2016 at 3pm at the Sacred Heart Church, Andheri, Mumbai. Archbishop Cheenath suffered much when Kandhamal in his Archdiocese was subjected to terrible attacks against Christians. The archdiocese Cuttack-Bhubaneswar covers Kandhamal district of the eastern Indian st

New Delhi 6 August 2016: Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio (64) the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal has been appointed as the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland. From 8th May 2010 onwards he was serving as the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal. He was born on 7th September 1952 in Marano di Napoli (Italy) and was ordained priest on 18th September 1976. He joined the diplomatic mission of the Holy See in 1979. He worked in the diplomatic missions, in Panama, Ethiopia, Australia, T

Vatican 28 July 2016: The Holy Father has appointed Mons. Stephen Chirappanath, of the clergy of the eparchy of Irinjalakuda, as the Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful living in Europe, elevating him to the episcopate and assigning him the Titular see of Slebte. Msgr. Stephen Chirappanath was born December 26, 1961 at Puthenchira. After his philosophical and theological studies at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, he obtained a doctorate in moral theol