CCBI Marks 100th Executive Committee Meeting, Looks to a Renewed Synodal Future

Bengaluru, September 15, 2026: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) marked its 100th Executive Committee Meeting with a call to renew its structures, deepen synodal collaboration and strengthen its response to the changing pastoral realities of the Church in India.

Presiding over the landmark meeting, CCBI President Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão described the occasion as a moment of gratitude for the Conference’s journey since its beginnings in 1988 and an opportunity to discern its future with renewed hope and vision.

Recalling the origins of the CCBI, the Cardinal said the first Executive Committee Meeting was held on April 14, 1988, in Kottayam, Kerala, under the presidency of Archbishop Simon Pimenta. Archbishop Henry D’Souza of Calcutta was elected Ad Hoc Convenor during the meeting.

The first Plenary Assembly followed in Kottayam on April 22, 1988, formally inaugurating a new phase in the life and mission of the Latin Catholic Church in India.

“From that humble beginning in 1988, we have travelled a long and eventful journey,” Cardinal Filipe Neri said, highlighting the growth of the Conference through the development of its structures, pastoral vision and various forms of service to the Church and society.

He expressed gratitude to God for guiding the CCBI over the decades and paid tribute to former office-bearers and bishops who served on its Executive Committee for their dedication and contribution to the Conference.

“This 100th meeting is not merely a celebration of a number. It is a moment of grace and a moment of responsibility,” the Cardinal said.

Towards a Synodal Pathway

A central item before the Executive Committee is the document titled “Charting a Synodal Pathway for Communion, Participation and Mission: Reimagining and Restructuring of the CCBI.”

The proposed document seeks to go beyond organisational restructuring and invites the Conference to examine how its structures and methods can better serve the Church’s mission in the present context.

It calls for stronger collaboration, deeper participation and a more effective synodal way of functioning, while encouraging the CCBI to respond to emerging pastoral and social challenges.

If approved, the document will serve as the Preparatory Document for the forthcoming CCBI Plenary Assembly. It will provide a framework for consultation, reflection and discernment leading up to the Assembly.

Following the Plenary Assembly, the document is envisaged to become a Working Document to guide the implementation of the decisions and pastoral directions emerging from the Assembly.

Cardinal Filipe Neri urged the bishops to approach the process with “openness, humility and a genuine spirit of communion,” calling them to place the common good of the Church above individual concerns.

The 100th Executive Committee Meeting therefore represents both a milestone in the CCBI’s history and a moment of discernment about its future. As the Conference prepares for its next Plenary Assembly, the focus is increasingly on strengthening communion, encouraging wider participation and renewing its commitment to mission in a rapidly changing Church and society.

By Catholic Connect Reporter