In India Archbishop Oswald Gracias installed as Archbishop of Bombay

(14 Dec. 2006) : Archbishop Oswald Gracias, former Metropolitan of Agra and President of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India –CCBI- was installed as Archbishop of Bombay on Thursday. Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, Simon Cardinal Pimenta and a large number of Archbishops, Bishops and dignitaries attended the solemn ceremony that was held in the historic Holy Name Cathedral in Mumbai.

Archbishop Gracias, a reputed Canon Law expert, succeeds Cardinal Ivan Dias who was transferred to the Vatican as President of the Pontifical Congregation for Propagation of Faith. Born in Mumbai in 1944, Archbishop Oswald Gracias was ordained a priest in 1970. He did his doctorate in Cannon Law in Rome in 1981. He was consecrated bishop in 1997. As the Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, he was Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). In the year 2000, he was appointed Archbishop of Agra.

Archbishop Gracias has held many responsible positions, such as, the President of Canon Law Society of India (1987-1991, 1993-1997), Consultor for CBCI Doctrinal Committee (1990-1994), Consultor for CCBI Commission for Interpretation of Legislative Texts (1992-1997) and Consultor to Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Rome (1997). Currently, he is the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Chairman of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications and National Institute of Social Communications, Research and Training (NISCORT). He is also a popular visiting Professor of Canon Law in many seminaries of India. "His appointment is truly a joyous homecoming, and the Archdiocese welcomes back a son of the city, a Mumbaikar!," said the statement issued by the Bombay Archdiocesan Catholic Communications Centre when he was transferred to Bombay on Oct. 14, 2006.