India: Bengal Regional Women's Commission Meet in Kolkata

Annual Regional Women’s Commission meeting was held at Seva Kendra Calcutta from 26- 27 November.

The women’s group was gathering for the first time after the pandemic and expressed great joy to be able to meet each other. Some of them shared that they lost their dear and near ones.

The National secretary Sr. Navya FCC from  Delhi and 35 women leaders from the different diocese of West Bengal Region were present.

Archbishop Thomas D Souza,  the Chairperson for the Regional Women’s Commission, celebrated the opening mass along with  Father Anthony Rodricks, the Secretary and Director of Seva Kendra Calcutta. 

In His sermon the Archbishop presented  Blessed Mother Mary as the model and asked the women to keep focus on the words of Mary, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, and be it done to me according to thy word.”

The first session of the meeting began with the welcome address and self-introduction of the women followed by the report of the last year by the Regional secretary.  

In the presidential address, the Archbishop urged the women leaders to train many more women in their respective dioceses to work for the betterment of their fellow women.

He further encouraged the women to keep alive discussions on the various issues of the women in order to empower women face the problems in family, church and society. They were endorsed to take the path of Synodality among themselves with listening ears and sharing with others.

The national secretary for CBCI women’s commission, Sr. Navya, spoke on the importance of the family. The faith formation of a child begins in the family. So the family should have sufficient faith in God and give faith formation.

A child should learn to listen more and share and care for others and equality in life. Living faith is shown by service and obedience to God and others.

At the same time we need to motivate the women to accept the girl child and not to do any heinous act in life. We need to stand for equality.

On the second day, Vicar General of Calcutta Archdiocese Rev. Fr. Dominic Gomes, exhorted the women to read the Word of God and reflect on it in the Small Christian Communities, which is also a way of exercising synodality.

In her second session, Sr. Navya, the National secretary said spoke about the need of good human relationships. Human beings are meant to live in society, knowing and loving one another, helping and serving one another, sharing with brotherly concern in the goods, experiences, joys and sorrows of one another, and for this we need to have good relationship with everyone.

The meeting ended after group discussions, action planning and budget sessions.

- Sandhya Vincent.  Regional Secretary for Women’s Commission.