By Sunil D’Cruz
Mumbai, April 3, 2026: The All-Mumbai Catholic Discipleship Program 2025-26 concluded with a vibrant Strength Rally, commissioning 203 disciples and 60 animators to serve their communities.
The Archdiocese of Bombay’s Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) marked the culmination of its discipleship program with the Strength Rally at St. Theresa’s School, Bandra, a premier locality in Mumbai.
The seven-month program, launched in September, brought together 203 disciples and 60 animators from eight zones across the city.
Organizers at the Strength Rally on March 22 highlighted the commitment of 69 disciples who achieved perfect attendance.
The Strength Rally is both a graduation and commissioning ceremony for discipleship participants, blending celebration, testimony, and empowerment to continue their mission in the wider Church community.
It reinforces the idea of “strength” in faith, unity, and mission, with the term “strength” reflecting the empowerment disciples receive to continue their mission.
The program’s curriculum spanned topics such as “Goals and Dimensions of Discipleship,” “Abiding in Christ,” “Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ,” and “Put on the Mind of Christ.”
Each session featured guest speakers offering talks and testimonies, while participants engaged with Scripture and completed worksheets that were later compiled into award-winning files.
Father Bineesh Thomas, director of the Satyagiri Dominican Retreat Center in Igatpuri, a hill station in the Western Ghat mountains of Maharashtra, addressed the gathering.
Sharing his pastoral experiences, he recalled saving a man from suicide and witnessing “miracles happening” during retreats.
He emphasized that Jesus “was not impressed with crowds” but instead connected deeply with individuals, citing encounters with Matthew the tax collector and the Samaritan woman.
At the rally, Father Thomas anointed each disciple, commissioning them to serve in prayer groups, parishes, and ministries.
Testimonies from participants underscored the program’s impact. One disciple said he made a confession after 30 years, while another described forgiving an enemy and feeling “a heavy burden was lifted.”
Several opened the Bible for the first time, and many gained confidence to speak publicly about their faith.
Organizers described it as “a delightful journey growing together in faith.”
Valance Qadros of CCR credited animators, intercessors, volunteers, and disciples for the program’s success, noting that an assessment workshop helped participants identify spiritual gifts for community service.
The next discipleship program is scheduled to begin in August, expanding to south Mumbai. Organizers said the initiative reflects the mission of Matthew 28:19-20: “Go and make disciples of all nations.”