- 23 October, 2026
BENAULIM, October 22, 2026: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has trained 18 priests, religious and lay faithful in biblical pastoral ministry, urging them to make Scripture the foundation of parish life, family formation and the Church’s mission.
The five-day residential course, titled “Skills for Biblical Pastoral Ministry,” was organised by the CCBI Commission for Bible at Shanti Sadan, Benaulim, Goa, from October 16 to 21. It brought together nine priests and religious and nine lay participants for biblical formation and practical training in the pastoral use of Scripture.
Fr. Patrick Mathias SDB, executive secretary of the CCBI Commission for Bible and course director, designed the programme in collaboration with Fr. Doming Gonsalves, administrator of Shanti Sadan.
Opening the course with a session on “The Centrality of the Word of God,” Fr. Patrick drew on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution Dei Verbum to underline Scripture’s central place in the life and mission of the Church. Participants also explored Verbum Domini and Evangelii Gaudium, examining how biblical formation can shape evangelisation and pastoral practice.
The programme focused on preparing participants to receive, proclaim, explain, teach and witness to the Word of God in their communities. Sessions explored the relationship between Scripture and theology, liturgy, family life, youth ministry and catechesis, alongside the practice of Lectio Divina, a prayerful method of reading the Bible.
Emphasising the six stages of Lectio Divina, Fr. Patrick urged participants to move beyond academic study towards a lived encounter with Scripture.
“Move beyond merely studying the Bible to living the Bible” was a central message of the course.
Fr. Mariano D’Costa, assistant director of St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Centre, Goa, led sessions on the historical development of the Bible, contemporary biblical ministry and practical approaches to reading, interpreting, teaching, praying and integrating Scripture into daily life.
He also explained the Biblical Animation of Pastoral Life, which seeks to root every aspect of the Church’s mission in the Word of God. The sessions highlighted its relevance to catechesis, liturgy, family and youth ministry, social action, religious formation and priestly ministry.
The course stressed that pastoral activities risk becoming mere activism when they are disconnected from Scripture.
Family life received particular attention, with participants reflecting on Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia and its presentation of the family as a place of love, growth, mercy and Christian formation.
As part of the programme, participants undertook a pilgrimage on October 19 to the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Se Cathedral, St. Agnel’s Tomb and St. Joseph Vaz Church in Sancoale.
Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes of Goa and Daman celebrated the concluding Eucharist on October 21 and preached on translating the message of the Bible into action.
The sessions also examined new approaches to biblical ministry, collaboration and networking. Participants exchanged pastoral practices and discussed ways to strengthen Scripture-based initiatives in dioceses and parishes, including the establishment and promotion of parish Bible cells.
Concluding the course, Fr. Patrick called on participants to renew the biblical apostolate by placing Scripture at the centre of parish life, nurturing Bible-centred families and encouraging prayerful engagement with the Word of God.
He urged them to move from information to transformation and help people encounter Jesus Christ through Scripture.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
© 2026 CATHOLIC CONNECT POWERED BY ATCONLINE LLP
