The 29th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) commenced with solemn Eucharistic celebration in the St Assumption Church, Asha Niketan Campus here on Tuesday. More than 130 Bishops of the 182 latin rite bishops in the country are participating in the 8 day deliberations on the issues on concerning to Families in Asia with special focus on India.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the main celebrant in his message, called for revitalizing the families in view of the call given by Pope Francis. “We need to turn good families to better and holy families to holier. We bishops will discuss about all the issues affecting family life in the changed social milieu,” he added.
“Revitalizing the families is one of the most urgent needs for the Church.” “Family is sacred and so we must protect it. There are many ideologies around us which destroy family values. So we must reach the message of love to the families without any exclusion, he said adding that even though, the Asian families do not face so much of problems, families worldwide are in crisis on account of economic disparities, cultural difference, religious and linguistic differences among a host of other things.
A grand welcome ceremony for the participants of this historical conference was arranged along with the splendid inaugural session in the St. Joseph Co-ed School auditorium.
His Eminence Oswal Cardinal Gracias, the President of the CCBI, His Eminence Telespore Cardinal Toppo Archbishop of Ranchi, leo Cornelio Archbishop of Bhopal, Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal, CCBI general Secretary, Archbishop Filipe NeriFerrao, Vice president of CCBI, Msgr. HenrykJagodzinski representative of Nunciature, and Fr.Stephen Alathara Deputy Secretary General of CCBI lighted the lamp and officially inaugurated.