Lifetime Achievement Award Honours Fr. Lucien Legrand for 70 Years of Biblical Service

Pune, January 24, 2026:

Lifetime dedication to the Word of God was celebrated as the Catholic Church in India honoured renowned missionary and eminent biblical scholar Fr. Lucien Legrand, MEP, with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the All India Bible Conference organised by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) Commission for Bible.

Held at Inigo Sadan, Jnana Deepa, Pune, from January 20 to 22, the national conference was conducted under the theme “Innovative Pathways in Proclaiming the Word of God in India.” More than 200 participants—including cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and lay leaders engaged in biblical ministry—took part in the three-day event.

The award was presented during the inaugural session by Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop-Emeritus of Bombay, who described Fr. Legrand as “a gift of God to the Church in India.” He highlighted the missionary’s long and influential association with St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bengaluru, where he became an iconic teacher and mentor to generations of priests, religious and lay leaders.

Cardinal Gracias praised Fr. Legrand’s deep love for Sacred Scripture and his ability to communicate the Word of God not merely as text but as a living encounter with Jesus Christ. He noted that Fr. Legrand “trained the trainers” and played a decisive role in shaping biblical studies in India and beyond. His contribution to the New Living Translation and the English Revised Version of the Bible was acknowledged as a lasting service to the Church in the country.

Bishop Antonysamy Peter Abir of Sultanpet, Chairman of the CCBI Commission for Bible, described Fr. Legrand’s seven decades of ministry as a powerful witness of fidelity to God, commitment to the Church and deep love for the people of India. He noted that even as Fr. Legrand approaches 100 years of age, he continues his daily rhythm of prayer and participation in the Eucharist, offering an enduring example of missionary faithfulness.

Responding to the honour, Fr. Legrand expressed heartfelt gratitude to his colleagues, students and the wider Church community. He paid tribute to the late Fr. George Soares-Prabhu, SJ, and recalled the formative influence of Fr. Amalorpavadass, founder of the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre, whose vision helped renew the Indian Church in the years following the Second Vatican Council.

He also reflected on the simple yet profound faith of ordinary believers—many of whom could not read but lived the Gospel with conviction—and thanked the Church in India for shaping his vocation and lifelong mission.

The conference was attended by 232 participants, including 176 registered delegates and 56 additional participants comprising clergy, religious, lay faithful and students.

By Sr. Dorothy Adaha, FSP

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