Archbishop Most. Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras Celebrated Solemn Eucharist at14TH General Body Meeting of Catholic Council of India (CCI)
17 November 2017: The 14TH General Body Meeting of Catholic Council of India (CCI), took place at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences with the Theme: “United in Diversity for a Mission of Mercy and Witness”. This meeting is arranged for three days from 17th to 19th November 2017 at SJNAHS, Bangalore.
The celebrations commenced with the Inaugural Holy Mass according to the Latin rites with the main celebrant Most. Rev. Bernard Moras (Archbishop of Bangalore) with His Eminence Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, Major Archbishop – Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (President of CBCI and CCI), Bishop ThoedoreMascarenhas (Secretary General CBCI) , Archbishop Filipe NeriFerrao (Archbishop of Goa and Daman) (CBCI Vice President-II), Most Rev ThummaBala(Archbishop of Hyderabad), Bishop Sebastian Kallupura(Bishop of Buxar), Msgr. Joseph Chinnnayyan, (Deputy Secretary CBCI), Fr. A.E Raju Alex, (Secretary of CCI), and 18 other priests from various dioceses in India. The melodious choir from St. Anthony’s Friary enabled the gathering to participate actively at this solemn occasion.
Most Rev. Bernard Moras gave an uplifting homily that enunciated the Theme of the 14th GBM of the CCI i.e.
UNITED IN DIVERSITY FOR A MISSION OF MERCY AND WITNESS.In his homily his grace spoke of the second coming of Christ and that it is certain, however it would be in vain to Speculate on the timing. It is important that we are faithfully, humbly and watchfully doing our duty when the time comes. When the Apostles asked Jesus when this event would take place, Jesus quoted a well known proverb, “Where the body is there the vultures would be gathered” simply meaning, that this would happen when the necessary conditions for the second coming were fulfilled.
Christians need to engage themselves in doing the will of God, such that whenever Jesus comes, we would not be found wanting but ready. This second coming would be sudden. Christians are not to panic or live on tenterhooks in fear and trepidations, rather to go about our daily lives, ever treading out the path charted out for us by Christ.
His grace reminded the collective responsibility in building the church in India. It is incumbent on all of us (Clergy as well as the Laity) to invest out entire selves in the sacred task of building the Body of Christ in India. For this purpose we need to be aware of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. We also need to have a proper understanding of the socio – cultural, religious, political, economic situations prevailing at present in India. We need to co-operate for our common goals and objectives. Co-operation is required at every level, wherein we exchange valuable information that helps both sides improve their knowledge bases and work in an efficient manner. Our collective responsibility is of paramount importance and inevitable in building the Church in India.
The Mass ended with the Jubilee Prayer of Consecration to our Lady of Fatima.
After a short break followed the inaugural ceremony commenced compeered by Dr. Mary Regina Vice President – II of CCI. Fr. A.E. Raju Alex, secretary of CCI welcomed the august
