Chairman
Most Rev. George Palliparambil
Bishop of Miao
Bishop’s House, Miao – 792 122
Changlang District
Arunachal Pradesh, India
Phone: +91 9862959817
Email: bpmiao@gmail.com
Executive Secretary:
Rev. Fr. Vijay Kumar M. Machado
Shanti Sadan, CCBI Secretariat Extension
Benaulim, Goa 403716, India
Phone : +91-81059107701, 9448931746
Email: catechetics@ccbi.in
Member
Most Rev. Anand Jojo
Bishop of Hazaribag, Bishop’s House
Diocesan Training Centre,
Zulu Park, P. B. No.14,
P. O. Hazaribag – 825 301, Jharkhand
Phone: +91-6546-222340; 06546-226820
Email: hzbhcdhaz@gmail.com, bishopanandjojo@gmail.com
Member
Most Rev. Rayarala Vijaya Kumar
Bishop of Srikakulam
Bishop’s House, Bagala Thope
Srikakulam – 532 001 , Andhra Pradesh, India
Phone: +917989339089
Email: skldiocese@yahoo.com
1. Commission for Faith Formation
It is by all means necessary that every National Conference of Bishops has a permanent catechetical structure. The Commission for Catechetics of the CCBI serves as the permanent executive structure for catechetical animation at the national level. It has a clearly structured programme of catechetical renewal approved by the CCBI. It works out with the regions a basic plan for catechetical activities, which can and must be inculturated locally since the Particular Church – the diocese – is the discerning body for this adaptation. It serves the regions and dioceses by information about initiatives in different parts of the nation and by coordinating programmes through publications, meetings, congresses, etc. At the national level, it integrates its ministries with other nationwide pastoral activities and related CBCI organizations like the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC). It serves as a liaison with the Universal Church through regular contacts with the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, which serves the Church’s catechetical needs internationally by contacts with catechetical commissions and institutes around the world.
2. Vision
Community of disciples that meaningfully live, celebrate, share and witness faith in Jesus Christ
3. Mission
To strengthen the faith of our Christian communities and to help them to bring it to maturity for the transformation of the society
4. Objectives
1. To encourage the re-evangelizing process drawing inspiration from baptismal catechumenate;
2. To promote catechesis for the various age groups: Adults, youth and children;
3. To promote catechesis in various settings: Parishes, Institutions and Families;
4. To enhance the professional competence of those involved in the catechetical ministry by equipping them with the knowledge and the skills necessary through short and long term catechetical courses;
5. To see that Catechetics is given importance in the priestly formation;
6. To ensure that certain amount of money is spent for Catechetics in the dioceses;
7. To promote the culture of modern means of communication in catechesis at national, regional and diocesan levels.
5. Brief history of Commission
The Commission based activities in the national level began in 1967 under the aegis of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) for the three sui iuris Churches in India. Since then Catechetical Commission was combined with Bible and Liturgy. For the activities of these three commissions National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) at Bangalore was established. After the birth of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) in 1988, the Commission for Liturgy was separated from Bible and Catechetics. In the Plenary Assembly of CCBI in 2007, the need was felt to separate the Commission for Catechetics from the Commission for Bible. Thus in the year 2007, the Commission for Catechetics was formed and has become one of the vibrant Commissions under the aegis of CCBI.
The Commission has a three member team of Bishops, a Chairman and two member Bishops, elected by the General Assembly of Bishops and an Executive Secretary, appointed by the CCBI, to assist the Commission Bishops, residing at CCBI Centre at Bangalore. The Commission published the National Catechetical Directory on 3 February 2015, when Bishop Antony Devotta was the Chairman of the Commission. The publication of the Catechetical Directory is the land mark in the history of catechesis in India. In 2024 by the publication of the Pastoral Plan the Commission name is changed from Catechetics to Faith Formation.
6. Former Chairmen
1. Most Rev. Antony Devotta, Trichy: 2007 – 2015
2. Most Rev. Thomas Ignatius Macwan, Gandhinagar: 2015 – 2023
3. Most Rev. George Palliparambil, Bishop of Miao: 2023-
8. Former Secretaries
1. Rev. Dr. Jayapalan Raphael: 2007 – 2011.
2. Rev. Dr. Laurence Culas: 2011 – 2015
3. Rev. Fr. Duming Gonsalves: 2015 – 2023
4 Rev. Fr. Vijaya Kumar Machado: 2024 –
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