Bangalore 3 May, 2022 (CCBI): Fr. Raju Mathew (62) from Jhabua diocese, Madhya Pradesh is appointed as the Associate Executive Secretary for the CCBI Commission for Proclamation and Director, Suvarta Kendra, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. He is currently the Regional Executive Secretary to the Commission for Proclamation of the Madhya Pradesh Bishop’ Council. The appointment was made by the Executive Committee of the CCBI held on 2 and 3 May, 2022.
Fr. Raju was born on 2 May 1960. He did his philosophical studies from Khrist Premalaya Philosophate, Bhopal and theology from Theological Institute, Ashta, Madhya Pradesh. He was ordained priest on 9 May 1992 for the diocese of Jhabua. He holds B.Com from Bhopal School of Social Sciences and diploma in Hindi Literature from Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha. He holds diploma in Biblical Pastoral Ministry and Evangelization from International School of Evangelization, Rome.
He was a bank employee and worked in Catholic Syrian Bank, Bangalore (1979-82). While he was serving the bank, he decided to become a missionary priest and joined the minor seminary of Khandwa diocese. After his ordination he was assistant parish priest at Sirpur (1992-1994) and parish priests at Bhilenkheda (1994-1996) and Dulkot (1996-1998) of Khandwa diocese. He was the director of Jeevan Jyothi Prayer and Retreat Centre (1998-2002) of Khandwa and director for charismatic renewal services (1996-2002) and director of Evangelization and Bible ministry (2002-2022) of Jhabua Diocese. He was Madhya Pradesh Regional Secretary for Catechetics (2013-2016).