(September 17, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI met in audience once again on Saturday morning,
another group of seven Indian bishops on their five yearly “ad limina” visit to acquaint
the Holy See of the state of their respective dioceses The bishops who met the Pope
Saturday were Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, of Jullundur, Ignatius Lojola Mascarenhas,
of Simla and Chandigarh, Joseph Kaithathara, of Gwalior, Chacko Thottumarickal,
of Indore, Gerald Almeida, of Jabalpur, Devprasad John Ganawa, of Jhabua and .
Arockia Sebastian Durairaj, of Khandwa. The four-phase ad limina visits of Indian
Bishops which began in March this year will conclude this current month of September.
Earlier on Saturday morning the Pope met Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, Chairperson of
the Italian Bishops’ Conference. Besides exchanging views on the Italian National
Eucharistic Congress that concluded Sunday, and was attended by the Pope, it was the
usual audience before the pre-autumn meeting of the Permanent Italian Episcopal Committee
due to be held on 26th September; it’s an opportunity, to update the
Pope on the agenda of the meeting which has special relevance in the face of the touchy
political situation in Italy.