Amravati Diocese Marks 10th Anniversary of Amoris Laetitia with Formation Session

AMRAVATI, July 28, 2026: The Diocese of Amravati marked the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia with a formation session at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish on July 26, focusing on the Church's mission to strengthen Christian marriage and family life.

The programme, organised under the leadership of Bishop Malcolm Sequeira of Amravati, was jointly conducted by the diocesan Commission for Theology and the Commission for Family in collaboration with the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish Team. It forms part of the diocese's ongoing efforts to deepen awareness of the Church's teaching on marriage, family life and pastoral accompaniment.

Fr. Crisler Perumbully, Director of Pastoral Works, Director of the Theology Commission and Spiritual Director of the Family Commission, served as the resource person. Through a series of presentations, he introduced participants to the central vision of Amoris Laetitia, highlighting the beauty and vocation of the family as the "domestic Church."

He emphasised Pope Francis' call to accompany families with compassion, patience, mercy and pastoral sensitivity while remaining faithful to the Gospel and the teachings of the Church.

The formation session addressed several themes from Amoris Laetitia, including the joy of love within the family, preparation for marriage, strengthening marital relationships, the Christian upbringing of children, pastoral care for families facing various challenges, and the mission of families in the life of the Church and society.

Participants were encouraged to witness to Christian family values by building homes rooted in prayer, forgiveness, dialogue and unconditional love.

The programme was hosted by Fr. Onil Gonsalves, Parish Priest of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, with the support of Assistant Parish Priests Fr. Daniel Khandul and Fr. Avinash Kumariya. A digital copy of a resource booklet prepared by Fr. Crisler was also made available to participants.

The formation session marks the beginning of a series of programmes to be conducted in parishes across the diocese during the anniversary year. Through these initiatives, the Diocese of Amravati seeks to make the pastoral insights of Amoris Laetitia accessible to clergy, religious and lay faithful, while fostering stronger, faith-filled and mission-oriented Christian families.

The diocese expressed gratitude to Bishop Malcolm Sequeira for his pastoral vision and encouragement, as well as to the organising commissions, the parish team and participants who contributed to the success of the programme. The anniversary initiative seeks to inspire families to become living reflections of God's love and beacons of hope for the Church and society.

By Fr. Crisler, Amravati diocese