Bishops to talk on political stand of the Church, Rangan

Kottayam: The Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI) is meeting at the Alphonsa Pastoral Institute in Arunapuram, Palai from February 5 to 12 to discuss the political stand the Church should take in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

As many as 235 bishops from all Catholic denominations of the country will participate in the plenary meeting where the brainstorming on the Church’s political views will take place.

“The stand the Church should adopt in the coming general elections will be discussed at the plenary meeting, which will see the third biggest assembly of Catholic bishops in the world," said Palai bishop, Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, speaking to the Deccan Chronicle.

A closed door discussion will also be held on the dwindling numbers of people opting to become priests and nuns and ways to stem the slide.

Besides the elections, the gathered bishops will also dwell on the stand the Church in Kerala needs to take on the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats and various other socio political issues.

Bishops representing the Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara and Latin churches from all over the country are expected for this 31st conference of the CBCI.

They include bishops of 165 dioceses, 12 auxiliary bishops, two Kuria bishops and 56 retired bishops of the church.