By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi: Pope Francis has chosen 14th delegation member from Indian to attend the Synod of Bishops on Youth in October together with other Catholic leaders from around the world.
According to a Vatican communiqué, the Pope chose Bishop Jaya Rao Polimera of the Diocese of Eluru, Andhra Pradesh to join the Indian delegation composed of three cardinals, two archbishops, five bishops, two priests and two youth (one male and female).
The synod will meet at the Vatican on October 3 to 28 to discuss “young people, faith and vocational discernment.”
The synod will address various issues on sexuality and gender, the role of women, and the desire for a Church which knows how to listen.
Now, the Indian delegation consists of Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the Syro-Malabar Bishops’ Synod is represented by Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Pandarasseril of Kottayam, president of the Youth Commission, and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry.
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum -Malankaras, will represent the Synod for the Syro-Malankara Church.
The Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) for the Latin Church will include Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop George Antonysamy of Madras and Mylapore, (Tamil Nadu), Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril of Vijayapuram (Kerala), Bishop Henry D’Souza of Bellary (Karnataka) and Archbishop John Barwa, of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (Odisha).
The two youth representatives are Percival Holt, national president of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement under CCBI, and Cherylanne Menezes from Focolare Movement in Mumbai, India.
Other participants are Father Thomas Kallikat, Chancellor and Judicial Vicar from the diocese of Belthangady, Karnataka and Father Joseph Kochappillil. Both will serve as the assistants.