(ANS – Bangalore) – The 27^th Plenary Assembly of CCBI (Conference of Catholic Bishops of India) honoured three Salesian religious, namely, Fr. Jayapalan SDB, Fr. Gilbert Choondal SDB, and Sr. Teresa Joseph FMA at St. John’s Medical College of Health Sciences, Bangalore on 3 February 2015. It was on the occasion of the release of the first national catechetical directory of India at the venue. Of the five member team of the project of the directory, three were Salesians.

The Catechetical Directory was introduced by Chairman of the Catechetical Commission of CCBU, Bishop Antony Devotta. He praised the initiative taken by Fr. Jayapalan, the then CCBI secretary of the Commission for Catechetics to bring to light the directory. The other members of the project were Fr. Herve Morisette CSC, and Fr. Alfred Vaz of Goa diocese. Fr. Antony Devotta praised the contribution of the Salesians, especially Fr. Gilbert who was the resource bank for the team.

The directory was released in the presence of Cardinal Oswald Garcias, Nuncio Pennacchio, Cardinal Toppo, Archbishop Bernard Moras, CCBI Deputy Secretary, Fr. Stephen Alathara and all the member bishops of CCBI. “The directory is not a book that contains addresses or list of names of people but guidelines and instructions for the catechetical ministry in India,” clarified Bishop Antony Devotta while he introduced the directory to the bishops.

The directory is entitled “Fostering Faith of a Pilgrim People”. The members of the project of the directory were specially invited to the dais with the eminent guests, with a standing ovation from the member bishops.

Published 10/02/2015