The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) is expected to talk about “synodality” in the Church and “nation building” in India as it opened its 35th general meeting on Monday, November 7.
The gathering, which will last until November 11, will address the theme “Communion, Participation and Mission of the Catholic Church in India.”
More than 200 active and 64 retired bishops from l74 dioceses are attending the meeting along with secretaries of the various CBCI offices.
A press statement said the prelates will “introspect the efforts of the Church in India, as to how to journey together in order to collaborate in the nation building.”
Although the bishops usually meet every two years, they could not come together in the past four years because of the pandemic.
Their last meeting was on February 2-9, 2018, with the theme “I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”
The CBCI represents approximately 22 million Catholics in India belonging to the Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.
The Church in India is believe to date back to 52 AD, when the Apostle Saint Thomas, arrived on the Malabar Coast. – from a Matters India report