Munnar 25 May 2024 (CCBI): Mount Carmel Church in Munnar was elevated to the status of Basilica during the Eucharistic celebration held on Saturday 25 May 2024. The declaration was solemnly announced by Most Rev. Sebastian Thekethecheril, Bishop of Vijayapuram, marking a historic milestone, as the first basilica in the high ranges of Kerala in the Western Ghats. The formal decree of declaration, issued by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,

Bangalore 11 May 2024 (CCBI): Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Fr Antony Valumkal (55) as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, currently he is the Rector and Parish Priest of the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom in Vallarpadom, Kochi. Fr Antony Valumkal was born on 26 July 1969 in Eroor, in the Archdiocese of Verapoly. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Alwaye, Kerala. He was or

Bangalore 11 May 2024 (CCBI): The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Fr Wilfred Gregory Moras (55), of the clergy of Lucknow, as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Currently he is the ector of the St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, in the diocese of Allahabad. Fr Wilfred Gregory Moras was born on 13 February 1969 in Neerude, in the diocese of Mangalore and studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary in the Diocese of Allahabad

Bangalore 10 May 2024 (CCBI): The CCBI has appointed Fr. Dominic Pinto (42), hailing from the Lucknow diocese, as the Associate Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Youth. This appointment was made during the 94th Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI, convened from 7th to 8th May 2024 in Bangalore. He is currently the Regional Director of the Youth Commission of the Agra Regional Bishops’ Council. Born on 13th August 1982 in Bajpe, Karnataka, Fr Dominic received

Bangalore 10 May 2024: The CCBI has appointed Sr. Jenifer Prafulla D’Souza as the new Coordinator of the Health Apostolate. Sr. Jenifer, 49, is a member of the Sisters of the Mercy of Holy Cross, Mid India Province. This appointment was made during the 94th Executive Committee meeting held from 7th to 8th May 2024 in Bangalore. Sr. Jenifer was born on December 4th, 1974, in Manoor, Neermarga, at St. Joseph Church, Mangalore, Karnataka. She received her primary education at St

Bangalore 6 April 2024 (CCBI) His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Simião Purificação Fernandes (57), of the clergy of Goa and Daman Archdiocese, presently Director of St. Pius X Pastoral Institute as the Auxiliary Bishop of Goa and Daman. This appointment was made public in Rome on Saturday 6th April 2024. Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes was born on 21st December 1967, in Chandor, Goa. He was ordained a priest on May 10 1993, for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. He s

Kottayam, March 27, 2024 (CCBI): Mount Carmel Church in Munnar, which belongs to the diocese of Vijayapuram, Kerala, is elevated to the status of a Minor Basilica. Most Rev. Sebastian Thekethecheril, Bishop of Vijayapuram, announced on Wednesday, March 27, 2026, that he received a decree elevating the Mount Carmel Church as a Minor Basilica from the Dicastery for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments. A solemn declaration of Basilica will be on Saturday, May 25, 2024, a

Bangalore, March 6, 2024 (CCBI): The CCBI concluded its strategic planning process with a gathering of 67 stakeholders, including the Secretaries of the CCBI Commissions, Directors of the Departments, and Coordinators of the Apostolates, at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore from March 4 to 6, 2024. In the three days of the event, the participants engaged in a spiritual discernment process on the environmentally friendly, green campus of St. Peter’s Seminary. They met

Bangalore 2 March 2024 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Joseph Kariyil (75) from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Cochin on March 2, 2024. He was the Bishop of Punalur from 2005 to 2011 before assuming the mantle of leadership as the Bishop of Cochin from 2011 until his retirement in 2024. Born on 11 January 1949 in the serene village of Arthunkal, near Alleppey, Bishop Joseph Kariyil embarked on his sacred journey in service to t

Bangkok, February 22, 2024: The Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) has announced the election of Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão as its new President during the central Committee meeting held in Bangkok from February 19 to 22, 2024. Cardinal Ferrão, who currently serves as the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), will succeed Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, in January 2025. In addition to Cardinal Ferrão’s

1. Fr Prakash Sagili new Bishop of Khammam 2. Fr. Augustine Madathikunnel new Bishop of Khandwa 3. Fr Karnam Dhaman Kumar, M.S.F.S. new Bishop of Nalgonda 4. Fr. Francis Tirkey new Bishop of Purnea 5. Fr Thomas Mathew Kuttimackal new Bishop of Indore 6. Bishop Lancy Pinto new Bishop of Aurangabad 7. Bishop Ambrose Rebello of Aurangabad Retired 8. Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal, S.V.D. of Indore Retired 9. Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Visakhapatnam, Retired 10. Bishop Jaya

Benaulim, Goa, February 7, 2024 (CCBI): The collaborative effort of the CCBI Commission for Liturgy and Shanti Sadan in organizing the intensive liturgy course underscored the importance of celebrating liturgy in a manner that is both proper, effective, and relevant to the norms. Held from February 6th to 10th, 2024, at Shanti Sadan in Goa, the course attracted a total of 34 participants comprising priests, religious, and lay faithful. Rev. Fr. Duming Gonsalves, the Administr