Bangalore, 12 April 2025 (CCBI): In a historic decision, Pope Francis has elevated the Diocese of Calicut to a Metropolitan Archdiocese on12 April 2025, also names Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal (72) as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Calicut. The dioceses of Kannur and Sultanpet will serve as their suffragans. The diocese of Calicut in Malabar region has a deep-rooted legacy that dates back over 500 years. Evangelization began in 1498 with the arrival of Trinitarian missio

Ambikapur, April 6, 2025 (CCBI): Archbishop Emeritus Pascal Topno SJ of Bhopal passed away in the early hours of Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 12:30 am at Holy Family hospital in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh. He was 93. Funeral details are awaited. Born on June 15, 1932, in the village of Kcneloea, Jharkhand, Archbishop Topno was raised in a devout Catholic family, where daily evening prayer was an essential part of life. He joined the Society of Jesus on June 20, 1953, and began hi

Bangalore 4 April 2024 (CCBI): Rev. Dr. Gilbert De Lima (68), the new Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine, is appointed as the Rector of St. Pius X Major Seminary, Mumbai. He will take charge on 1 June 2024. Fr. Gilbert was born on January 15, 1956, in the Archdiocese of Bombay. He did his philosophy and theology at St Pius X Seminary and was ordained a priest on April 16, 1983. He holds a B.Com. from Mumbai University. He had a doctorate in s

Bangalore, March 8, 2025 (CCBI): Fr. Paul Prakash Saginala has been appointed as the new Bishop of Cuddapah by Pope Francis. The announcement was made public on March 8, 2025. Until now, he has been serving as a professor of Sacred Scripture at Saint John’s Regional Seminary in Hyderabad. Born on November 28, 1960, in Badvel, Diocese of Cuddapah, Fr. Paul Prakash Saginala pursued his studies in philosophy and theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Poonamallee, Chennai. He l

Bangalore, March 1, 2025 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. John Carvalho (55) of the clergy of the Diocese of Ajmer, currently the Principal of St. Paul’s Sr. Secondary School, Alwar Gate, Ajmer, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Ajmer in Rajasthan. This provision was made public on Saturday March 1, 2025. Diocese of Ajmer became vacant by the resignation of Bishop Pius Thomas D’Souza on June 1, 2024. Bishop Oswald Joseph Lewis Bishop Emeritus of Jaipur wa

Bangalore 27 February 2024 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr Johannes Gorantla, O.C.D., (50) priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelite, currently Rector, Collegio Teresianum, Rome, as the new Bishop of Kurnool. This appointment was made public in Rome on Tuesday 27th February 2024. Fr Johannes Gorantla, O.C.D., was born on 27th February 1974, in Nawabu peta, in the Diocese of Vijaywada. He studied Philosophy at Sacred Heart Philosophical College, Alwaye, Ker

Bangalore, February 8, 2025 (CCBI): The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Udumala Bala Showreddy (70) as the Archbishop of Vishakapatnam in Adhra Pradesh transferring him from the diocese of Warangal on February 8, 2025. He was appointed Bishop of Warangal on April 13, 2013 and ordained Bishop on May 23, 2013. He was the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Khammam from 2022 to 2024. He was the Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI from 2006 to 2013 and the Ch

Bangalore, February 8, 2025 (CCBI): The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Fabian Toppo (64) as the Bishop of Jalpaiguri in West Bengal on February 8, 2025. Currently he is serving as Professor and Spiritual Director of the Morning Star Regional Seminary and College in Kolkata. Pope has accepted the resignation of Bishop Clement Tirkey (77) from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Jalpaiguri. Fr. Fabian Toppo was born on December 21, 1960, in Darupisa, in the Di

Bangalore, February 8, 2025 (CCBI): The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Fr D. Selvarajan (62) as Coadjutor Bishop of Neyyattinkara, Kerala on February 8, 2025. Since 2011, he has been the Judicial Vicar of Neyyattinkara, and since 2019, he has been the Parish Priest of St. Francis Xavier in Thirupuram. He was born on January 27, 1962, in Valiyavila. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary in Alwaye and earned a License and Doctorate in Ca

Bangalore, February 8, 2025 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Bernard Laloo (49) of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Shillong, currently the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Shillong on February 8, 2025. Fr. Bernard Laloo was born on June 16, 1976 at Laitlyngkot, Meghalaya, and was ordained a priest on April 30, 2006, for the Archdioceses of Shillong. He served the Archdiocese as Assistant of St. Paul’s Church, Upper S

Bhubaneswar, January 28, 2025: Pope Francis has called on the Indian Bishops to prioritize the poor and the vulnerable in their ministry urging them to open wide the doors of the Church, in his address to the 36th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). The assembly is being held at XIM University in the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. In a message read out by Archbishop George Antonysamy, the Vice President of the CCBI, the Pope expressed

Bangalore, January 25, 2025 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias (80), the Archbishop of Bombay. Bishop John Rodrigues (57), who was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bombay on November 30, now formally assumes office as the Archbishop of Bombay. Cardinal Oswald Gracias was the President of the CCBI and the CBCI. He was born on 24 December 1944 in Mahim, Mumbai, in the archdiocese of Bombay, Indi