Indian Catholic bishops set to discuss synodal pathways for mission at 2025 assembly

By LiCAS News

The Plenary Assembly of Indian Bishops will be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from January 28 to February 4, 2025, and will focus on the theme “Discerning Synodal Paths for Mission.”

According to the CCBI General Secretariat, a preparatory document and questionnaire have been distributed to dioceses and religious congregations across India in preparation for the event.

The initiative aims to gather feedback from a wide range of voices within the Church, ensuring that the assembly reflects a process of collective discernment.

All responses are expected by October 31, 2024, which will contribute to the development of the working document for the assembly discussions.

To further expand participation, CCBI introduced an online survey inviting lay faithful to share their ideas and recommendations.

The Secretariat said that this is the first time that the CCBI has launched such a broad consultation, aiming to highlight the importance of shared responsibility in the mission of the Church and to promote a more inclusive process.

A core team, led by Most Reverend Allwyn D’Silva, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Bombay, was tasked with compiling and analyzing feedback from dioceses, congregations and lay members.

The assembly will also implement the “Spiritual Conversation Methodology,” a new approach designed to foster deeper dialogue and engagement among participants, encouraging open and meaningful exchanges.

The CCBI, comprising 132 dioceses and 208 bishops, is the largest bishops’ conference in Asia and ranks fourth in the world.

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