(ANS – Hyderabad) – About 550 Superiors General and Provincials of various Congregations met from Oct 28th -31st in Hyderabad for their Triennial Assembly. Salesian Provincial of Guwahati Province, Fr. V.M. Thomas (Vattathara) was elected as their new National President on 30th October.

The Delegates of the Conference of Religious India (CRI) are deliberating on innovations to give consecrated life greater effectiveness.

“I did not expect it at all, as I was a new comer at the CRI national… while it is an honour, it is also a burden for me but with the opportunity to serve in a more meaningful manner,” said the newly-elected Fr Vattathara.

The Salesian Provincial of Guwahati, appointed in April, 2012, has been noted for launching and directly managing the relief operations in the area of Kokrajhar, in North-East India, where there has been fierce fighting between the local tribal people the Bodo and immigrant land owners of the Islamic religion.

The CRI has a total of 334 Congregations and 822 Major Superiors representing more than 125,000 Catholic Religious brothers, priests and nuns in India. Most of the schools, hospitals, social service centres and other institutions of the Catholic Church are managed by this group.

Almost 30 years ago, another Salesian Provincial of Guwahati Province, the late Bishop Mathai Kochuparampil of Diphu was elected CRI National President.

Published 31/10/2012