New Delhi: Fernando Cardinal Filoni, Prefect, Congregation for The Evangelization of Peoples, Rome, released the Catholic Directory of India 2013 and presented the first copy to Oswald Cardinal Gracias, President of CBCI and Archbishop of Bombay, at CBCI Centre New Delhi on Friday.
The Bangalore-based Claretian Publications, a religious publishing house of the Missionary Sons of Immaculate Heart of Mary (CMF), compiled and published the CDI for the second time after the phenomenal success of their maiden effort in 2005-06.
Presenting the first copy of the Directory to Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Fernando Cardinal Filoni said that This directory will help evangelization as it "has all the information about the dioceses in India and of the religious congregations and various activities of the church in India in the field of evangelization, education and health care and the like”.
Cardinal Gracias, while addressing the gathering at CBCI Centre said the Directory is “an invaluable source book” of information about the Church in India and a very helpful guide for those who want to study any diocese or region.
Catholic Directory of India 2013, which has 2,548 pages, comprises of three parts with first part being the general information about the universal church with the latest demographics and other statistics.
The second part is about information about the 166 dioceses with maps, history, statistics and addresses and the third part is about conference of Religious India, societies of apostolic life, secular institute and Pious Association, said Fr. Benny Kanjirakatt, Editor of Catholic Directory of India 2013.
Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi, Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar Church, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Archbishop of Delhi, Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, Bishop of Faridabad, Jacob Mar Barnabas, Apostolic Visitator Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Bishop Franco Mulakkal, Auxiliary Bishop Delhi, Very Rev. Fr. James Kannanthanam, Provincial, CMF, Bangalore Province, officials and staff of CBCI Centre attended the program.
Archbishop Albert D’Souza, Secretary General of CBCI welcomed the dignitaries and the audience and Fr. Joseph Chinnayyan, Deputy Secretary General of CBCI proposed the vote of thanks.