The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has appointed national officials to serve the church in the country, says a press release issued by Father Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General.
Commission for Proclamation
Father Ambrose Pitchaimuthu (56) from the diocese of Chingleput, Tamilnadu is appointed as the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Proclamation.
He is currently the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Organisations (PMO).
The CCBI Executive Committee meeting held on May 2 and 3 decided to link the Commission for Proclamation and Pontifical Mission Organisations.
Father Ambrose was born on May 3, 1966, at Cheyur, Tamilnadu and ordained a priest on March 25, 1993.
He holds a master’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University, Leuven and a doctorate in philosophy from Angelicum, Rome.
Vocation Commission Secretary
Father Charles Leon (59) from the Archdiocese of Trivandrum, Kerala is appointed as the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Vocations, Seminaries, Clergy and Religious (VSCR).
He is currently the Secretary to the Kerala Catholic Bishop Bishops' Council (KCBC) Commission for Vocations and the Secretary to the KCBC Commission for Education.
He will be ex-officio the Secretary to the Association of Rectors of the Major Seminaries (ARMS) and also the Conference of Diocesan Priests of India (CDPI).
He was born on March 15, 1961, and ordained a priest on December 21, 1985. He holds a Master in Social Work from Loyola College, Trivandrum, PG Diploma in human rights from Hyderabad Central University, M. Phil in Health Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India and Ph.D. in Social Work from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala.
Canon Law Commission Secretary
Father Merlin Rengith Ambrose (40) from the diocese of Kottar, Tamilnadu appointed as the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Canon Law and Legislative Texts. He is currently a professor of Canon Law at the St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore.
He was born on 16 May 1981 and was ordained a priest on April 19, 2009.
Father Merlin holds a doctorate in Canon Law from Pontifical Urban University, Rome and Licentiate in Canon Law, St Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore.
He also has a master’s degree in Christian Studies, from Madras University and a diploma in Canonical Administrative Praxis, Congregation for the Clergy, Vatican.
Associate Director, Communio
Father Gangula Vignan Das (40) is appointed as the Associate Director for Communio.
The Communio is the funding agency of the Latin Church in India to assist the missionaries working in rural areas.
He is a Jesus Youth priest incardinated to Archdiocese of Nagpur, Maharashtra.
He is a software engineer and worked as the assistant manager of Virinchi Technologies, Hyderabad (2008-2009).
He joined the Jesus Youth lay missionary movement and was ordained a deacon during the XV World Youth Day celebrations at St. Joseph’s Church, Krakow, Poland.
He was ordained a priest on December 29, 2016. He was born on October 30, 1982, at Pezzonipet, Vijayawada Diocese of Andhra Pradesh.
He did his philosophical and theological studies at Collegio Urbaniana, Rome. He holds a Licentiate in Canon Law, from Urbaniana University, Rome, Bachelors in Computer Applications from Nagarjuna University, and Masters in Information Systems from Andhra University.
He holds a diploma in journalism and multimedia from Santa Croce University, Rome and worked one year in FIDES News Agency, Rome.
Proclamation Commission Associate Secretary
Father Raju Mathew (62) from Jhabua diocese, Madhya Pradesh is appointed as the Associate Executive Secretary for the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and Director, Suvarta Kendra, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, central India.
He is currently the Regional Executive Secretary to the Commission for Proclamation of the Madhya Pradesh Bishops Council.
Father Raju was born on May 2, 1960. He did his philosophical studies at Khrist Premalaya Philosophate, Bhopal and theology from Theological Institute, Ashta, Madhya Pradesh.
He was ordained a priest on May 9, 1992, for the diocese of Jhabua. He holds B.Com from Bhopal School of Social Sciences and a diploma in Hindi Literature from Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha.
He holds a diploma in Biblical Pastoral Ministry and Evangelization from the International School of Evangelization, Rome.
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