PROFILE OF MOST REV. DR. BERNARD MORAS


Name                                                            Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Blasius Moras

 

Date of Birth                                                 10.08.1941

 

Place of Birth                                                Kuppe Padavu, South Kanara Dist. (Mangalore Diocese)

 

Educational Qualification                              a) Graduate from Karnataka University.

        b) Ecclesiastical Studies in St. Joseph’s Seminary

                                                                      c) D.H.A. (Diploma in Hospital Administration), New Delhi.

                d) Diploma in Personnel Management, New Delhi.

                e) Diploma in Pastoral Care in Hospitals

 

Date of Ordination                                         6.12.1967

 

Appointed Bishop of Belgaum                       31.12.1996  (Appointed by St. Pope John Paul II)

 

Date of Episcopal Ordination                         25.2.1997 (By Simon Cardinal Pimenta)

 

Appointed Archbishop of Bangalore              22.7.2004 (Appointed by St. Pope John Paul II)

 

Installation as Archbishop of Bangalore        17.9.2004

 

Received Pallium                                            29.06.2005 (From Pope Benedict XVI)

 

Address                                                           Archbishop’s House, No. 75 Miller’s Road, Bengaluru – 560 046.

                                                         Karnataka (India)

Tel                                                                   (080) 23330438, 23330838, 23339199 (O)

Fax                                                                  (080) 23531600

E-mail                                                              archbishop@bangalorearchdiocese.com

Website                                                           www.bangalorearchdiocese.com

 

 

PRESENT POSITIONS

  1. Archbishop of Bangalore
  2. Member of Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, Rome
  3. President of Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council (KRCBC)
  4. President of Karnataka Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC)
  5. Chairman of Catholic Council of Karnataka (CCK)
  6. Chairman of Karnataka Regional Pastoral Plan Implementation Committee (KRPPIC)
  7. Chairman of Karnataka Regional Educational Commission
  8. Chairman of Karnataka Region Religious Council
  9. President, All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights (AKUCFHR)
  10. Chairman of St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary & Institute
  11. Chancellor of St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute
  12. Member of the Standing Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
  13. Chairman Governing Council St. John’s Medical College & St. John’s College of Nursing
  14. Member of the Governing Board of St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru

 

PASTORAL RESPONSIBILITIES HELD IN THE PAST

From May 1968 to June 1970            Asst. Director & Chaplain at St. Anthony’s Charitable

Institutions, Jeppu, Mangaluru – 575 002

 

From July 1970 to Feb 1975               Asst. Director at Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institutions

and Hospital, Kankanady, Mangaluru – 575 002

 

From March 1975 to July 1978           Director –  Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institutions  and

Hospital, Kankanady, Mangaluru – 575 002

 

From Sept. 1978 to Nov. 1979            Executive Director of Catholic Hospital Association of

India (CHAI), New Delhi.

 

From Dec. 1979 to May 1980              Parish Priest-in-charge, Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi

 

From May 1980 to May 1991             Administrator, St. John’s Medical College Hospital,

Bengaluru 560 034

 

From 1981 to 1991                             Treasurer, C.B.C.I. Society for Medical Education (St.

John’s Medical College & Hospital), Bengaluru 560 034

 

From June 1991 to Feb. 1997            Director, Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institutions and Hospital,

Kankanady. Mangaluru – 575 002

 

Elected Bishop of Belgaum                 31.12.1996

 

Date of Episcopal Ordination             25.2.1997

 

Bishop of Belgaum                             25th February, 1997 to September 2004

 

Appointed Archbishop of Bangalore  22.7.2004

 

Installation as Archbishop                  17-09-2004

of Bangalore

 

Apostolic Administrator of

Diocese of Bellary                              21.06.2006 to 15.03.2008

 

 

PASTORAL CHARACTERISITCS

  • Strong faith and hope in God, and his dependency on God’s providential care.
  • Love for Mary, Mother of Jesus, and his trust in her ever powerful intercession. His Coat-of -Arms: “In thee we hope Mary our Mother”.
  • Great love for the mission and spreading of the Good News.
  • Simple lifestyle, hardworking and meticulous Planning.
  • Love for the poor, marginalized, downtrodden and the sick.
  • Promotion of Faith Formation and Value-Education in the Parishes and in the Archdiocesan Institutions
  • Respect for people and his availability for everyone without any discrimination and partiality.
  • Administrative expertise, and coordinating capacity.

 

PASTORAL PRIORITIES

  • Pastoral visits to Parishes, especially to rural and sub-urban parishes
  • Special attention is given to the uplift of the poor and the marginalized.
  • Taking keen interest in the education of the poor;
  • Building Faith Formation Groups and Small Christian Communities;
  • Establishing/Strengthening Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Committees, Diocesan Pastoral Councils, etc.;
  • Strengthening various Apostolates, such as Family, Laity, Youth, Catechetics, Liturgy, Bible etc.,
  • Strengthening various Catholic Associations to build up leadership in the society and in the Church

 

SPECIAL INITIATIVES

—    Published the Archdiocesan Pastoral Hand Book

—    Established the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council

—    Built a multi-storied and well-equipped Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre (Paalanaa Bhavana)

—    Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre – Paalanaa Bhavana for functioning 20 Commissions

—    ASHA Charitable Trust for Children (Sponsorship Education Programme)

—    Jeevan Jyothi Trust for Medical Assistance

—    TABOR Trust – for Archdiocesan TABOR VANI and TABOR KIRANA Archdiocesan

monthly Magazines

—    ABE Manuel Registration of ABE

—    Starting of Schools and Colleges

—    Starting of two new Commissions, namely Commission for Migrants and Commission for

Differently Abled

—    HOSANNA – Sunday Liturgical Leaflet

—    Improved and extended facilities for the Retired Priests

—    Reorganization of all Archdiocesan Offices

—    Established a Minority Commission Office

—    Started God in Control Programmes

—    Initiated Evangelization Programmes

 

DEVELOPMENT DONE AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL  

—   Published Regional Pastoral Plan and updated it periodically

—   Built a Regional Pastoral Centre

—   Printed  60,000 Kannada Bibles

—   Printed  1,0,000 Pocket NT with Psalms

—   Set up Regional Pastoral Centre

—   Founded All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights

—  Encouraged Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Fellowships

—   Initiated Career Advancement Programme (CAP)

—   Promoted CHRISTHA NAMANA Christmas Programme