- 26 January, 2025
Bangalore, January 25, 2025 (CCBI): His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias (80), the Archbishop of Bombay. Bishop John Rodrigues (57), who was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bombay on November 30, now formally assumes office as the Archbishop of Bombay.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias was the President of the CCBI and the CBCI. He was born on 24 December 1944 in Mahim, Mumbai, in the archdiocese of Bombay, India. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 1970 and holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a diploma in jurisprudence from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
He served as chancellor and secretary to the Bishop of Jamshedpur (1971-1976), parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Church, Santa Cruz, Bombay (1976), secretary to the Archbishop of Bombay (1982-1986) and chancellor of the same archdiocese (1982-1997).
On 28 June 1997 he was appointed titular Bishop of Bladia and Auxiliary of Bombay. He was ordained a Bishop on 16 September 1997. On 7 September 2000 he was appointed Archbishop of Agra, and on 14 October 2006, Archbishop of Bombay.
His many activities include teaching and assisting in the establishment of matrimonial tribunals in several dioceses. He was also president of the Canon Law Society of India (1987-1991, 1993-1997), consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts and General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).
He has served as President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) (2005-2011 and 2013 to 2019) President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) (2010- 2014 and 2018 to 2022). He was the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) (2011-2018)
On 24 June 2008 he was appointed President Delegate of the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church” (5-26 October 2008). On 13 April 2013 he was made a member of the Council of cardinals established to advise Pope Francis in the government of the universal Church and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, ‘Pastor Bonus’.
He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization and in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October 2015). On February 15th 2017, Pope Francis granted to Cardinal Gracias the title of Lawyer of the Roman Rota. He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.
Pope Francis appointed him as one of the members of the Council of Cardinals on April 13, 2013 to assist the Holy Father the government of the Universal Church.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of San Paolo della Croce a Corviale (St. Paul of the Cross at Corviale). He was the member of Congregation for Catholic Education and Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
By Dr. Stephen Alathara
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