New Delhi: Catholic religious superiors have determined to recommit themselves to reach out to the peripheries in a conference held with a view to celebrate Year for Consecrated Life.

Approximately 25 major superiors and their aids participated in the joint North Region Meeting of CBCI-CRI (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India-Conference of Religious India ) Major Superiors, held on July 24th and 25th at CRI House, Okhla, New Delhi.

The conference delved mainly on the study of the Report of the Survey on the relevance of Religious Life in the context of the Year of Consecrated life. It was reported that the collated data demonstrated that the lay people have a positive attitude and appreciation towards the Consecrated Life and persons.

In an orientation session at the very beginning of the conference superiors were guided through various documents of the magisterium on consecrated life. Fr Edwin Rodrigues SJ facilitated the sessions and exposed the beauty and challenges of Consecrated Life as envisioned in the documents. “The sessions were interactive and enjoyable,” said Sr. Prathima commenting on the session. “The program helped us to reflect again on our own consecrated commitment in the background of the Church documents,” said another participant.

The joint session on the second day was graced by Archbishops Anil J Couto of Delhi and Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of Faridabad and Bishop Ivan Pereira of Jammu-Srinagar. Each of them inspired the congregation on various relevant topics such as Development, Hindutva, Environmental friendly life and so on.

The two-day long meeting concluded with a concelebrated Eucharist in the Masihgarh Parish Church. Archbishop Couto and Bishop Pereira were at the altar along with Father Varkey Perekatt, provincial of Jesuits’ Delhi province and other priests.

Apart from the major Superiors, many other religious men and women participated at the concluding Mass.

Several lay people too attended the Mass.

Fr Perekkatt, who is also the president of the CRI North Region, moderated various sessions, discussions and activities of the CRI meeting.