India’s Salesian Sr Teresa Appointed Representative to WCC’s Mission Evangelism Commission

Verghese V Joseph –

In a rare honour, the Dicastery of Promoting Christian Unity (DCPCU) has appointed Salesian Sr. (Dr.) Teresa Joseph fma of the Auxilium Welfare Centre, Pune as a Catholic representative to the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for the period 2023-30.

This was communicated by the Prefect, Kurt Cardinal Koch of DCPCU) in a signed letter.

While the Catholic Church is not a member of the WCC, it however has a close relationship with it in many areas, including mission and evangelisation.

Created in 1961, the CWME provides a space for sharing reflections, experiences, and theological insights on the content and methods of common Christian witness today. The Commission is composed of some 35 persons coming from almost all Christian traditions, including three Catholics. The full Commission meets biannually (the first meeting of the new plenary meetings, using electronic means of communication, and organising in-person meetings as needed.

The Commission will be formally established during the WCC Central Committee meeting on June 27, 2023.

Among the recommendations for the future work for the Commission made last WCC Assembly in Karsruhe, Germany, in 2022, particular importance was given to the development of models and methods for a mission that move the churches to heal the wounds and overcome the legacies of colonisation, and to unmask and resist religious justifications for injustice and violence.

Sr. Teresa Joseph fma, a Salesian Sister of the Bombay Province, holds a Master’s degree in Science of Education with a specialisation in Catechetics from Pontificia Facoltà Auxilium, Rome, and a PhD. in Missiology with a specialization in Inter-religious studies from the Gregorian University, Rome. She has authored several books from 1992-2023 and contributed numerous articles for various journals in India and abroad. She was one of the 20 panellists on the Global Sisters Report Panel, ‘The Life’ for 2019-2020.

With extensive academic work from universities in Rome, she has taught university courses, held national, diocesan, and congregational offices, revised catechetical texts, was a member of the drafting committee of the Indian National Catechetical Directory, and launched many creative programs for teachers, parents and students. Currently, she is the animator of the community at Auxilium Welfare Centre, Koregaon Park, Pune, INB Coordinator for Evangelization, Mission Ad/intra Gentes and Catechesis, and core team member of the Salesian/Diocesan Catechetical Centre, Koregaon Park, Pune.