Pope Leo urges Indian Bishops to Promote Unity and Human Fraternity
Bangalore (CCBI): Pope Leo XIV has urged the Latin Catholic Bishops of India to promote unity and human fraternity, and to inspire the faithful to live the Gospel of peace in their daily lives.
The Pope made this appeal in a special message to the bishops gathered for the 37th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), held at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore on 3 February 2026. He said the Latin Church in India is called to remain a living sign of Christian love. Such love, he noted, breaks down barriers, brings people closer together, unites strangers, and reconciles enemies.
Entrusting the Plenary Assembly to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, Pope Leo imparted his Apostolic Blessing to the bishops as a sign of wisdom, strength, and communion in the Lord.
In a separate message, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, reminded the bishops of their responsibility toward future generations. He urged them to respond to the needs of young people, the challenges of evangelisation, and the values that sustain Christian witness in India’s complex interreligious context.
Cardinal Tagle noted that the bishops’ deliberations and resolutions would have a wide impact, not only on the local Churches they shepherd, but also on priests, religious, and lay faithful who look up to them for guidance.
The 37th Plenary Assembly opened with a solemn Eucharistic celebration on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, at the Nursing College Auditorium of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences. His Excellency Most Rev. Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, presided over the celebration.
The inaugural meeting that followed began with a prayer to the Holy Spirit and the chanting of the traditional hymn Veni Creator Spiritus. Dignitaries then lit the traditional Indian lamp, symbolising the beginning of the Assembly.
His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, President of the CCBI and Archbishop of Goa and Daman, presided over the meeting, which was inaugurated by Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli.
Archbishop Peter Machado, Vice President of the CCBI and Archbishop of Bangalore, welcomed the gathering. The annual report of the CCBI was presented by Archbishop Vincent Aind, Secretary General of the CCBI and Archbishop of Ranchi.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI, proposed the vote of thanks. The inaugural session concluded with a prayer led by His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad.
During the Assembly, 18 newly appointed bishops (in the last 12 months) were formally welcomed as members. A moment of silence was also observed in memory of the departed members of the Conference.
The one-day meeting addressed several matters affecting the Latin Catholic Church in India, which comprises 132 dioceses and 215 bishops.
Through its 16 Commissions, seven Departments, and four Apostolates, the CCBI animates the life and mission of the Church in India. Its General Secretariat is based in New Delhi, with a Documentation Centre in Bangalore and regional secretariats in Goa and Bhopal.
As the Canonical National Episcopal Conference, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India stands as the largest in Asia and the third largest in the world.