Verghese V Joseph –
Bengaluru: In a special message for the 34thPlenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) that got underway at St John’s Institute of Health Sciences in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Pope Francis extended his apostolic blessings and urged the bishops, archbishops, and Cardinals to journey together on the synodal path with a renewed spirit of missionary discipleship and in fraternal communion.
Archbishop George Anthonysamy, Vice President, CCBI and Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore read out the Holy Father’s message, which was conveyed by the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
We reproduce the message below:
New Delhi, 23 December 2022
Your Eminence,
His Eminence Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão,
Archbishop of Goa and Daman,
President, CCBI
His Holiness Pope Francis was grateful to be informed of the plenary assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India to be held in Bangalore from 24th January 2023, and he offers cordial greetings and prayerful best wishes to you and your brother bishops gathered for the occasion.
His Holiness trusts that your deliberations will assist the local churches to journey together on the synodal path in a renewed spirit of missionary discipleship and in fraternal communion with the universal church.
It is likewise his hope that your meeting will give rise to ever more joyful and creative ways of proclaiming the love and mercy of Jesus Christ in Indian society and enhance the apostolic zeal of all for the advancement of god’s kingdom of holiness, justice and peace commending the plenary assembly to the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, the Holy Father gladly sends his blessing as a pledge of peace and joy in the lord.
Allow me to join the sentiments of His Holiness, Pope Francis by extending my prayerful good wishes to you and all the members of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India
Yours devotedly in Christ,
Cardinal Pietro Parolin,
Secretary of State