PANAJI
The National Synod of the Latin Church in India commenced with the Solemn Holy Eucharist at Paalanaa Bhavana, the Pastoral Centre of the Archdiocese of Bangalore on Tuesday.
Archbishop of Goa and Daman and Patriarch of East Indies Cardinal-Designate Filipe Neri Ferrão, was the main celebrant while Archbishop of Bombay Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Hyderabad Cardinal-Designate Most Rev Dr Anthony Poola, Vice-President of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado and many archbishops, priests, religious and laity were also present during the Inaugural Mass of the National Synod.
At the National Synod, a team consisting of 15 bishops, 12 priests, 10 religious and 27 lay leaders will validate and finalise the Synthesis prepared by the National Synod Desk in collaboration with the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine. It will then be sent to the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome.
Archbishop Ferrão began his homily by briefly recalling the example of 3 great leaders of our times: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, emphasising how these three great men had dreams of better tomorrow.
“The dream of Jesus for his disciples has got two facets: Communion and Mission. In order to journey with the Church in her mission, we need to foster communion within and without,” said Archbishop Ferrão.
After the Mass, there was an inaugural session of the National Synod. This National Synthesis will effectively serve as a road map for the Church in India in the next decade. As the first (national) phase of the Synod for a Synodal Church is brought to a conclusion, it is hoped that this National Synod will be an occasion for the Latin Church in India to discern new ecclesial pathways and adopt creative pastoral approaches that will help her to be a genuinely authentic Synodal Church.
This will result in promoting greater ecclesial Communion, Participation and Mission: the 3 aspects of the Synod 2021-2023.
Archbishop of Goa and Daman and Patriarch of East Indies Cardinal-Designate Filipe Neri Ferrão, was the main celebrant while Archbishop of Bombay Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Hyderabad Cardinal-Designate Most Rev Dr Anthony Poola, Vice-President of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado and many archbishops, priests, religious and laity were also present during the Inaugural Mass of the National Synod.
At the National Synod, a team consisting of 15 bishops, 12 priests, 10 religious and 27 lay leaders will validate and finalise the Synthesis prepared by the National Synod Desk in collaboration with the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine. It will then be sent to the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome.
Archbishop Ferrão began his homily by briefly recalling the example of 3 great leaders of our times: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, emphasising how these three great men had dreams of better tomorrow.
“The dream of Jesus for his disciples has got two facets: Communion and Mission. In order to journey with the Church in her mission, we need to foster communion within and without,” said Archbishop Ferrão.
After the Mass, there was an inaugural session of the National Synod. This National Synthesis will effectively serve as a road map for the Church in India in the next decade. As the first (national) phase of the Synod for a Synodal Church is brought to a conclusion, it is hoped that this National Synod will be an occasion for the Latin Church in India to discern new ecclesial pathways and adopt creative pastoral approaches that will help her to be a genuinely authentic Synodal Church.
This will result in promoting greater ecclesial Communion, Participation and Mission: the 3 aspects of the Synod 2021-2023.
