August 05, 2013 - The Catholic Bishops Conference of India, CBCI, will hold its plenary
assembly in the diocese of Palai, Kerala, from 19-26 February, 2014. This was announced
in a communique by CBCI Secretary General, Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra. The
week-long bi-annual assembly is expected to bring together all the Bishops of India
at the Alphonsian Pastoral Institute, Arunapuram. The CBCI, which is the apex body
of the Catholic Church of India, was established in 1944. With 166 dioceses belonging
to three rites - the Latin, the Syro-Malabar and the Syro- Malankara - the CBCI is
the permanent association of India’s Catholic bishops, currently headed by Cardinal
Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay. The plenary assembly, held every two years on
a particular theme, reviews the situation and assesses the progress of the Church
in India. “Renewed Church for a Renewed Society” – Responding to the Call of Vatican
II,” is the theme of the 2014 plenary assembly. Besides the usual programmes of the
Plenary Assembly, Holy Mass at the Shrine of St. Alphonsa and visit to the nearby
important Churches and parishes in groups are also planned during the meeting. (Source:
CBCI)