By Purushottam Nayak
Dantoling, Feb 16, 2026: Thousands of people who recently flocked to a Marian shrine feast in the eastern Indian state of Odisha have prayed for Cardinal Anthony Poola, the new president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
“May God strengthen him in moments of trial and keep him steadfast in defending truth while being compassionate towards the poor and the suffering,” prayed Father Kabiraj Bastaraya during the annual feast of Our Lady Lourdes Church at Dantoling, a parish under the diocese of Berhampur.
The parish priest was addressing some 150,000 people who participated in the February 11 feast in the church, some 180 km southwest of Bhubaneswar, the state capital.
“Like Mother Mary, may he always say ‘yes’ to God’s will through obedience and trust. May Our Lady of Lourdes pray for him and for the Church in India,” Father Bastaraya added.
Cardinal Poola, archbishop of Hyderabad, was elected the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India on February 7, during 37th biennial plenary assembly of the national body of bishops of 174 dioceses in the country.
He is the first Dalit to head the Indian Church.
Bipra Charan, a Catholic leader in the parish, said he prayed to Mother Mary to intercede to God to give Cardinal Poola wisdom, courage and strength to lead the Indian at this critical time when Christians face various problems in the country.
According to him, the “foremost challenge for the New CBCI president is to ensure safety and security of Christians in the time of increasing violence, fear, threat and vandalism. He has to also join others to protect the constitutional rights of religious minority groups in the country.”
The lay leader said Catholics in the country should pray that their new leader has the courage to oppose persecution, injustice, false conversion accusations, insult, and threats to Christians.
Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur, the main celebrant of the feast day Mass, said Mother Mary was willing to do God’s will to become the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the redeemer. “She intercedes for our every need in our spiritual journey. God guarantees her intercession for our sake,” the bishop added.
People of different regions are influenced and inspired by this feast Our Lady of Lourdes, Dantoling, Ganjam, Odisha
faithful not only from christian community but from other denominations and Hindu community also gather. It is a secular feast Mother. Everybody loves mother. It is so encouraging and joyful to share the responsibilities and qualities of a mother. Mother of Jesus is a model of every mother.