By Verghese V Joseph –
Bengaluru: The 34th Plenary Assembly of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) got off to a solemn start with a high Mass at St. John’s Medical College in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, His Excellency Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, celebrated the mass along with His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, President of CBCI; His Eminence George Cardinal Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church and His Eminence Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church, Bishop Most Rev Joshua Mar Ignathios, Bengaluru Archibishop Most Rev Peter Machado and the CBCI Office-bearers, Archbishops and Bishops from all over the county. There were also a great number of priests, religious and lay faithful who took part in the service.
The Inaugural session marked the beginning with the lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries.
In the inaugural address, the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista expressed the sentiments of Holy Father’s Apolistic letter Moto Proprio, “Vos estis lux mundi”, where Pope Francis reminded the church that, “We are called to be the light for the world and at the same time, each diocese should strive to shine light on our wrongdoing before the eyes of the world.”
He advised the clergy in India to commitment themselves to truth within the Church, one that is painful, but which, in keeping with the Second Vatican Council, has been launched with determination. This undertaking goes way beyond the problem of abuse and is ordered towards a substantiated evangilical reform of the church.”
“It is a matter of not betraying the primary evangelical concern of the Church in favour of the last, the marginalised and vulnerable people. This concern promotes a spirituality which invites all of us to co-reponsibility and to sharing, creating amongst the faithful a climate of openess in truth, that is one of coherrence and transparency, regardless of anyone’s role,” he added in his inaugural address.
The Nuncio also expressed happiness at the care and admiration of the efforts put in by the bishops in preparing comprehensive and well-crafter reports of their pastoral minitry.
The Apostolic Nuncio conveyed to the participants the good wishes and the blessings of Pope Francis, and also assured them that he would convey to His Holiness their filial greetings. He appreciated the services rendered by different Catholic Organizations under the leadership of the local bishops. The Nuncio stressed that, “the proclamation of the good news must be carried out through the joyful services.”
In his presidential address, Cardinal Gracias said in next few days he looked forward to an intense discussion on the theme of the assembly – Dialogue: The Path to Truth and Charity. He said the next few days will reflect on how the church would move forward, discuss threadbasre various programme and papers, and also address various issues that affect the church in general. He also mentioned that the church was focussed on nation building through its services in education, healtcare and service to the least and marginalised.
Cardinal Gracias informed the participants that the CBCI completes 75 years since its inception, and it is also one of the largest Bishops’ Conferences in the world. For better service to the people, he called for effective and dynamic leadership.
The theme of the assembly is Dialogue: The Path to Truth and Charity. And as such, all of us are called to walk together in harmony and solidarity to live with one another in harmony and peace. The Church has been always championing the cause for continuous dialogue and peaceful interaction to build the world community. Hence, we have to break down walls of separation and build the bridges of unity.
Archbishop George Njaralakatt, Vice President-II, read out the Congratulatory Messages from the Prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples, and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, Vice President-I of CBCI, read out the detailed report of the activities of the CBCI during the past two years and also mentioned the nominations of the new bishops and the retirement of the bishops who attained their superannuation of 75 years. He also expressed his deepest condolences on the demise of the bishops in the past two years. He elaborated the point that the Church in India carried out its dedicated service in spite of hardships, crises and conflicts in certain parts of the country. The CBCI through its various commissions has been rendering commendable services to all the people without any discrimination in the fields of education, social work, health care and ecology. He placed on record the dedicated services of the retired and demised bishops to the CBCI.
Bengaluru Archbishop Dr Peter Machado, in his welcome address, said he looked forward on how best to pool in resources and efforts to promote and revitalize the ministry of dialogue in the country in general, and in dioceses in particular. This year the Archdiocese of Bengaluru will officially declare as “The Year of the Poor” and will be inaugurated in all the parishes on Ash Wednesday (February 26).
He ended his address with a hope that the church in India will become an instrument of dialogue, unity, fellowhip and solidarity, and motivating us to build the nation for the welfare of all citizens.
Rev. Fr. Jervis D’Souza, the Deputy Secretary General of CBCI, proposed the vote of thanks, he thanked all those who made the inaugural function a grand success, particularly the Apostolic Nuncio and the CBCI office bearers with their kind presence.
This 34th Plenary Assembly of CBCI will end on 19th February 2020. One of the meeting days the participants will have the three separate meetings specifically related to the three rites, namely, Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.
The participants will deliberate on the theme extensively with a view to finding out new avenues for dialogue and unity within and outside the Christian community. The representatives of other religions have been invited to address the participants to share their views on the theme of the assembly.
This Inaugural Function of the 34th CBCI Plenary Assembly came to a close with a prayer for the nation, its leaders and its development and growth.
