Verghese V Joseph –
Bangalore: The Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Most Rev Dr Leopold Girelli endearingly urged bishops of India to be good bishops and be an example to priests and the faithful. Thus, on a profound level, he pleaded the people of God to lead an exemplary Christian life and proclaim sound Christian doctrine.
The nuncio was celebrating the inaugural Mass along with over 200 Bishops on the occasion of the 35th General Body Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) at St. John’s Auditorium in Bengaluru. The theme of the CBCI meet is ‘Synodality: The Call to be Synodal Church.’
Delivering the homily, Archbishop Girelli recalled the intention of the Holy Father Francis for the month of November 2022, to pray for children who are suffering, especially those who are homeless, orphans, and victims of war, so that they may have access to education and the opportunity to experience family affection.
The Nuncio mentioned that in one of Holy Father’s Wednesday audience messages, Pope Francis noted: “From the first moments of their lives, many children are rejected, abandoned, and robbed of their childhood and future. There are those who dare to say, as if to justify themselves, that it was a mistake to bring these children into the world. …Children are never a “mistake. Their hunger is not a mistake, nor is their poverty, their vulnerability, their abandonment – so many children abandoned on the streets – and neither is their ignorance or their helplessness… so many children don’t even know what a school is. If anything, these should be reasons to love them all the more, with greater generosity”
Soon after the Mass, the Nuncio in his inaugural address asked the bishops to stay united and be the face of the church. He appreciated the fact that despite the church in India having three different rites, he was happy to see the togetherness of the church in India.
In his presidential address, His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, President, CBCI, and Archbishop of Bombay stated that, “We must walk together keeping in mind the synodality approach of the church. We must be close to the Catholic community and listen to them as we journey with them.”
Cardinal Mario Grech, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, in his address, highlighted the importance to baptism in the Catholic faith. He hoped to see a transformed Indian church that works with a renewed commitment to the synodal conversion of the communities and missionary dynamism.
Archbishop Felix Machado, Secretary General of the CBCI read out the report CBCI and the work done during the past two years.
Most Rev. Joshua Ignathios, Vice-President – I, CBCI and Bishop of Mavelikara, read out messages from dignitaries.
Earlier, Most Rev. Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bangalore welcomed the delegates to the city of Bengaluru. While mentioning many sobriquets of the city, he also stated that Bengaluru is not only known for its strength in IT but also for humanity!
Fr. Jervis D’Souza, Deputy Secretary General, CBCI proposed the vote of thanks.
