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History of Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India
In 1944 a Conference of Indian Bishops known as “Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India” (CBCI) was established. When the National Episcopal Conferences got juridical and structural recognition in Second Vatican Council, the CBCI began to reorganize itself with infrastructures such as National Commissions, Regional Councils of Bishops and National Organizations working under its guidance and directives.
The promulgation of the Latin Code of Canon Law in 1983 contributed to the debate about establishing a Conference only for the Latin Rite Bishops. The Holy Father Pope St. John Paul II, after his visit to India in 1986, wrote an apostolic letter to the Indian bishops on 28 May 1987 an important text of which reads thus:“The Bishops of each of the three Rites have the right to establish their own Episcopal bodies in accordance with their own ecclesiastical legislation. The National Conference (i.e., the CBCI) of all Catholic Bishops of India is to continue for questions of common concern and of a national and supra-ritual character, e.g., Doctrine and Morals, Organizations of a national and supra-ritual character, questions involving the Catholic Church and the Government, etc. These areas are to be determined in the National Conferences’ new statutes.”
Hence in compliance with the above directive of the Holy Father Pope St. John Paul II, the CBCI in its General Meeting in April 1988 decided that all the three ritual Churches could have their own Episcopal body.
Hence in compliance with the above directive of the Holy Father Pope St. John Paul II, the CBCI in its General Meeting in April 1988 decided that all the three ritual Churches could have their own Episcopal body.
Accordingly, the bishops of the Latin Church started their own Episcopal Conference in the same meeting and named it “Conference of Catholic Bishops of India – Latin Rite” (CCBI-LR). In January 1994 the Holy See approved its Statutes.
Hence, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is an organization having its legal foundation in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, which applies to all Catholic Church of the Roman Rite throughout the world. Therefore, according to Canons 447-459 CCBI is the Central Church body of India and its purpose is to deliberate on matters of concern for the whole Church of India and encourage activities in accordance with the needs of the times. The CCBI members are: 1) The diocesan bishops, their coadjutors, and auxiliaries, and 2) those honorary bishops appointed by the Holy See or the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India for particular tasks. In the Bishops’ Conference there is a President, who is in overall charge and represents the Conference, a Vice President and a Secretary General to assist him for a term of two years. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, in addition to Plenary Assemblies, has an Executive Committee to handle ordinary matters, Episcopal Commissions and a General Secretariat. Currently CCBI comprises of 132 dioceses and 190 Bishops.
Hence, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is an organization having its legal foundation in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, which applies to all Catholic Church of the Roman Rite throughout the world. Therefore, according to Canons 447-459 CCBI is the Central Church body of India and its purpose is to deliberate on matters of concern for the whole Church of India and encourage activities in accordance with the needs of the times. The CCBI members are: 1) The diocesan bishops, their coadjutors, and auxiliaries, and 2) those honorary bishops appointed by the Holy See or the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India for particular tasks. In the Bishops’ Conference there is a President, who is in overall charge and represents the Conference, a Vice President and a Secretary General to assist him for a term of two years. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, in addition to Plenary Assemblies, has an Executive Committee to handle ordinary matters, Episcopal Commissions and a General Secretariat. Currently CCBI comprises of 132 dioceses and 190 Bishops.
Vision
The Church that finds its source and summit in the liturgy draws its energy from a liturgy that is participated fully, actively and consciously. This was the vision of the Council and this becomes the vision of the CCBI Commission for Liturgy. The liturgical renewal brought out by the II Vatican Council has not yet reached the vast majority of our people. The liturgical renewal launched by the Conference and the late Fr. Amalorpavadass needs to be reached to the people and the clergy. Therefore re-launching of the liturgical renewal should be the Vision of the Liturgy Commission. Everyone should be made to realize the importance of Liturgy as the summit and source of the life and ministry of the Church and of Christian life. This calls for continuous efforts on the part of the Commission to organize orientation programmes for clergy, religious and laity on liturgy in general and on renewal in particular. The liturgical documents should be made known not only to the clergy but to everyone. This vision will be realized through the Regional and Diocesan Commissions for Liturgy. Therefore the Commission looks forward to effective Regional and Diocesan Liturgy Commissions as foreseen by the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy (SC 44 & 45).
Priorities of the Commission
The CCBI Commission for Liturgy needs effective Regional Commissions in order to implement the Commission’s policies and programmes in the dioceses. With the exception of the Tamil Nadu Region, no other Region has a full time secretary or any infrastructure. Secondly, the Liturgy Commission considers as one of its tasks the promotion of comprehensive liturgical formation in the seminaries, institutes of theology and houses of formation. The Commission resolves to work towards having professors qualified in liturgy and the uniform syllabus for liturgy in all the Major seminaries and Theologates. This could be achieved through constant effort with the collaboration of the Commission for Vocation, Seminaries, Clergy and Religious.
Thirdly, there arises a need for a fresh look at the status of inculturation as practiced today and at the possibilities for promoting true inculturation according to the directives of the Church especially the 4th Instruction Varietates Legitimae on the Roman Liturgy and Inculturation (1994) and the recent document RedemptionisSacramentumart.27. We have the 12 Points of Adaptation approved by Rome for India.