XIM University and the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese in eastern India are enthusiastically preparing to host the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) plenary assembly, which is scheduled to take place from January 28 to February 4, 2025.
This significant gathering will bring together the 204 bishops of India to reflect on the theme, “Discerning Pathways for Synodal Mission.”
The assembly will begin on January 28, 2025, with a solemn inaugural ceremony led by Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal.
Archbishop Girelli will also celebrate the inaugural Holy Mass in the main auditorium of XIM University, marking the formal commencement of this spiritual and strategic event.
The first three days of the assembly will be dedicated to spiritual conversations, offering a retreat-like atmosphere for the bishops to reflect deeply on the ten priorities outlined in the working document.
Jesuit Father Joe Xavier will facilitate these sessions, guiding the participants through prayerful discernment.
Accompanying him will be Father Christopher Vimalraj, Advocate Father Jaison Vadassery, Father Gilbert Delema, and Father Yesu Karunanidhi, who will present ten priorities of the working document.
The fruits of these reflections will later be synthesized and presented to the Assembly, culminating in the approval of a final document and a concrete action plan for the Church in India.
During the assembly, the bishops will discuss the biennial reports of the 16 Commissions, 6 Departments, 4 Apostolates of the CCBI and 14 Regional Bishops Councils, offering a comprehensive review of the Episcopal Conference’s work. These sessions will provide an opportunity to evaluate the Church’s mission and address its challenges in contemporary India.
Key decisions will be made during the assembly, including the approval of the revised Tamil Ritual for Baptism and Confirmation, which will be presented by the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, and the Gujarati Missal, to be presented by Archbishop Thomas Macwan of Gandhinagar.
The revised statutes of the CCBI, prepared by the Canon Law Commission, will also be reviewed and finalized. Additionally, the Assembly will deliberate on the request to elevate the San Thome Shrine in Mount St. Thomas, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The Assembly will be marked by the celebration of Holy Masses, led by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Cardinal Anthony Poola, Archbishop George Antonysamy, Archbishop John Barwa SVD, and Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo.
On February 2, 2025, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, the President of the CCBI, will officiate a public Holy Mass at the XIM University auditorium. Later that evening, the delegates will make a pilgrimage to the Pro-Cathedral of St. Vincent in Bhubaneswar, a gesture of spiritual unity and faith.
This plenary assembly is expected to be a landmark event for the Catholic Church in India, offering a profound opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and renewal as the Church discerns its path forward in mission and synodality. - Stephen Alathara
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