Bhopal, August 8, 2023 (CCBI): “Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ himself is the true strategic planner to realize God’s Kingdom on earth,” says Archbishop Sebastian Durairaj of Bhopal and the President of the Madhya Pradesh Regional Bishops’ Council. Prelate was inaugurating the CCBI regional strategic planning workshop of three days for the Madhya Pradesh region on August 7, 2023, at the Pastoral Centre, Ashaniketan Campus, Bhopal. There are 55 participants from all six dioceses of Madhya Pradesh, including all the bishops of the region, attending the workshop.
Fr. Jomi Panithas, Deputy Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Regional Bishops’ Council, explained the significance of the strategic planning as, in 2028, the CCBI will have completed 40 years of its inception, and 2033 will be the Great Jubilee year of Jesus Death and Resurrection. He introduced the core team members of CCBI who are facilitating the sessions, Frs. Joseph Xavier SJ, Charles Leon, and Jaison Vadassery, to the participants.
In the inaugural address, Abp. Durairaj reiterated that strategizing and planning are the most commonly used words not only in the religious circle but in every arena of management, politics, and economics. Jesus Himself was a strategic planner to realize God’s Kingdom on earth. The Archbishop further said that Jesus himself is the proponent of strategic planning and gave the example of the parable of the man making an assessment of the resources required for building the house. Fr. Charles Leon, the coordinator of the Core Team, explained the genesis of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and its 16 Commissions, six departments, and four Apostolates. He clarified the purpose and role of the participants as stakeholders, and their active participation and contribution are highly solicited.
Fr. Joseph Xavier SJ, the chief facilitator, made the concept clear by flashing light into the strategic planning. It is embarking on a new journey, and that journey begins with a dream. The incarnation of Jesus is the fruition of a dream of a triune God—a dream of redeeming the world. It was the plan of the Triune God to send his only son into the world to accomplish the dream. So, he urged the participants to have a dream of where we want to see things significantly different by 2028 or 2033. The process of achieving the dream would be inclusive in nature, that is to say from top to bottom and bottom to top, wherein the entire Church becomes stakeholders, from Cardinals to lay people and even people from other faiths. Approximately 7000 people will participate in this process. Fr. Jaison Vadassery gave a short description of the commissions, departments, and apostolates of the CCBI. The workshop will be over by August 9, 2023.
Rev. Dr. Charles Leon
Coordinator, CCBI Strategic Planning