Church in Chattisgarh discusses pastoral plans

(August 31, 2012) A meeting of the bishops and major superiors of religious orders of Chhattisgarh state in India was held last week to redefine the Catholic Church’s pastoral plans and priorities in the region. Archbishop Joseph Charanakunnel of Raipur along with Bishops Patras Minj of Ambikapur, Paul Toppo of Raigarh and Emmanuel Kerketta of Jashpur met 8 major superiors, delegates of 7 major superiors and heads of various commissions from August 22-25 to discuss the drafting of a pastoral plan for the region with a clear vision and to identify specific pastoral priorities and draw up definite goals and objectives with a re-visioning and re-missioning of the Church. They also heard recommendations and information on how to celebrate at various levels the Year of Faith that Pope Benedict XVI has called from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013. The participants felt the absence of lay people at the meeting and vowed to hold another such encounter in September with the participation of the laity.