India: CCBI Hosts Canon Law Conference, Drawing 87 Provincials and Superiors General

The Commission for Canon Law of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) organised a three-day National Conference from 13–15 November for Provincials and Superiors General of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life at Paalana Bhavana, Bangalore.

The gathering brought together 66 provincials, 14 general councillors, 7 superiors general from across the country, as well as one Abbot General from Sri Lanka.

The conference opened with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by Archbishop Antonysamy, Chairman of the Canon Law Commission. This was followed by the inaugural session, during which the Archbishop delivered the keynote address on the synodal implications for authority in religious life.

Across seven thematic sessions, the conference addressed key canonical and pastoral concerns in religious life, including the formation of candidates, the administration of temporal goods, safeguarding issues, exclaustration, processes of transfer and departure, the three types of dismissal, and the relationship between bishops and religious.

Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, who also serves as the Vice President of the CCBI, celebrated Mass for the participants and highlighted the importance of humility and servant leadership in ecclesial governance.

Fr Merlin Rengith Ambrose, Executive Secretary of the Canon Law Commission of the CCBI and professor at St Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bengaluru, served as a resource person for the session on safeguarding issues in religious life and the Catholic Church, and coordinated the entire national conference. Participants expressed deep appreciation for this timely initiative of the Canon Law Commission and for the systematic organization of the event. They recommended organizing a similar conference in North India and requested that such formative programmes be held in the coming months.

The National Conference concluded with a panel discussion focusing on canonical challenges in religious institutes, secular institutes, and societies of apostolic life.