Odisha CRI Executive Members Meet to Reaffirm Mission and Plan for the Future

Bhubaneswar, April 9, 2024: The Odisha Region unit of the Conference of Religious India (CRI) held a day-long meeting on April 8, 2024, at the Archbishop's House in Bhubaneswar to revitalise its mission and plan for future initiatives. More than 25 executive members from various diocesan CRI units across Odisha participated in the session.

The meeting, organised under the leadership of Fr. Lancy Rodrigues, SVD, Secretary, CRI-Odisha Region, began with a Holy Mass celebrated by Archbishop John Barwa.

The keynote address for the meeting was delivered by Sr. Elsa Muttathu, PBVM, National Secretary of CRI. In her speech, she called on participants to rekindle the founding charism of religious life, emphasising authenticity, service, and solidarity with the marginalised.

“The Conference of Religious India exists to promote unity and cooperation among religious congregations,” Sr. Elsa noted. “Our mission is to address shared challenges, amplify our collective voice, and support the unique charisms of each institute.”

Sr. Elsa reminded the gathering that religious life is not about institutional preservation or personal security but about courageously responding to the needs of the present time. Challenging participants to examine their ministries critically, she asked, “Do we visit families to truly know them and share in their lives, or merely to recruit vocations?”

Underscoring the need for integrity, she stressed that actions must align with proclaimed values. “If our preferential option for the poor remains only in our preaching and not in our practice, we create a painful gap between our words and our witness,” she warned.

Among the key takeaways of the meeting was the call to channel resources towards emerging ministries focused on specific local issues.

Sr. Elsa also emphasised the need for dialogue with lay collaborators, cultivating an integrated prayer life, and adapting formation programmes to meet contemporary challenges. She also advocated for the increased involvement of women in church leadership and decision-making spaces and encouraged women religious to nurture intellectual and spiritual growth alongside daily responsibilities.

Reflecting on the Year of Hope, Sr. Elsa posed two guiding questions for future action:

1. "How can we live synodality within our CRI units?"

2. "How might we celebrate the Jubilee Year in a way that meaningfully includes people on the margins?"

Participants were asked to develop three concrete action plans based on their responses to these two questions, for implementation in their respective diocesan units.

The meeting also featured a presentation by representatives of the Priests and Religious Lawyers Forum. Srs. Clara D’Souza, Geetanjali Senapati, and Sujata Jena shared insights into the forum’s mission, recent initiatives, and future plans aimed at advancing the Church’s justice ministry.

Key leaders from the Odisha Region CRI present at the meeting included Fr. Anuranjan Bilung, SVD, Regional President; Sr. Leena Jacob, SJA, Vice President; and executive members Fr. Ajith Anthony, SSCC, Sr. Floral, FC, and Sr. Teresa Parakal, DC.

By Sujata Jena