Mumbai 18 December 2022 (CCBI) The silver jubilee of the Episcopal ordination of Cardinal Oswald Gracias the Archbishop of Bombay was celebrated on Sunday 18 December 2022 at Holy Name Cathedral, Mumbai. The thanksgiving Holy Mass celebrated at the Cathedral at 6.30pm by Cardinal Gracias and concelebrated by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, the President of the CCBI and the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro Malankara Church, Abp. Andrews Thazhath, the President, CBCI and the Archbishop of Trichur, Cardinal Anthony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad and more than thirty Bishops and the hundreds of priests.
In his felicitation message Cardinal Filipe Neri said that: “Cardinal Oswald’s outstanding leadership qualities have led him to make a lasting contribution to the life of the Church, particularly from the many pivotal positions that Cardinal Oswald occupied along the years at various levels.” Cardinal Filipe Neri honoured him with Indian shawl on behalf of the CCBI.
Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis and Abp. Andres Thazhath also felicitated Cardinal Oswald Gracias. Pope Francis message was red by Bishop John Rodrigues, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. The message of Cardinal George Alencherry was red by Fr. K. T. Emmanuel, Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Bombay. Cardinal George Alencherry was unable to participate the jubilee celebration as he celebrates golden jubilee of his priestly ordination on the same day. Most Rev. Thomas Macwan honoured Cardinal Oswald on behalf of the Western Regional Bishops’ Council.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias was ordained Bishop on 16 September 1997. He was born on 24 December 1944 in Mahim, Mumbai, in the archdiocese of Bombay, India. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 1970 and holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a diploma in jurisprudence from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He served as chancellor and secretary to the Bishop of Jamshedpur (1971-1976), parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Church, Santa Cruz, Bombay (1976), secretary to the Archbishop of Bombay (1982-1986) and chancellor of the same archdiocese (1982-1997). On 28 June 1997 he was appointed titular Bishop of Bladia and Auxiliary of Bombay. He was ordained a Bishop on 16 September 1997. On 7 September 2000 he was appointed Archbishop of Agra, and on 14 October 2006, Archbishop of Bombay.
His many activities include teaching and assisting in the establishment of matrimonial tribunals in several dioceses. He was also president of the Canon Law Society of India (1987-1991, 1993-1997), consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts and General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).
He has served as President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) (2005-2011 and 2013 to 2019) President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) (2010- 2014 and 2018 to 2022). He was the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) (2011-2018)
He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization and in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October 2015). On February 15th 2017, Pope Francis granted to Cardinal Gracias the title of Lawyer of the Roman Rota. He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis. Pope Francis appointed him as one of the members of the Council of Cardinals on April 13, 2013 to assist the Holy Father the government of the Universal Church.
On 24 June 2008 he was appointed President Delegate of the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church” (5-26 October 2008). On 13 April 2013 he was made a member of the Council of cardinals established to advise Pope Francis in the government of the universal Church and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia,
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of San Paolo della Croce a Corviale (St. Paul of the Cross at Corviale). He was the member of Congregation for Catholic Education and Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
Deputy Secretary General, CCBI