Ecumenical Consultation Held

NEW DELHI, June, 04, 2010, 14:05 Hrs (CBCI News):

The National Commission for Ecumenism of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) organized a Consultation, April 17-18, at Arnold Bhavan, Hyderabad. 21 diocesan secretaries of Ecumenism from South India participated.

Bishop Gali Bali of Guntur, Chairman of APBC Commission for Ecumenism, in his keynote address spoke of the growth of the ecumenical relations developed by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) at the global level. He highlighted the ecumenical movements of National United Christian Forum (NUCF) and Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC) functioning at the national and regional levels respectively.

Bishop Dr G. Dyvasirvadam of the CSI Krishna-Godavari diocese in his inaugural address focused on the need and urgency of ecumenical movement. Fr Pusha Anbu SVD, the National Secretary, who organized the meeting explained the objectives and the dynamics of the programme. Regional Secretary of the APBC Commission spoke of the principles and methods of Ecumenism. Fr Ronie Prabhu SJ, the Regional Secretary of the Commission in Karnataka narrated the emergence of the Karnataka Christian Forum for Human Rights. In the workshop that followed the opportunities and obstacles for ecumenical movement were discussed. An informative documentary titled “Ut Unum Sint - Forty Years of Ecumenism” was screened.

The participants presented reports of what is being done, and discussed future plans. The Consultation suggested marking the Centenary year of the World Mission Congress that kicked off the modern ecumenical movement with special ecumenical programmes at the national, regional and diocesan levels. It proposed ecumenism as the theme for the next CCBI / CBCI General Assembly.

Fr. Dr Anthoniraj Thumma,
Regional Secretary, APBC Commission for Ecumenism