By Matters India Reporter
NEW DELHI, August 24, 2026: The All India Catholic Union, the oldest Catholic laity organization in South and Southeast Asia, has chosen a new leadership team to guide the organization for the next two years as it seeks to expand its grassroots presence and strengthen youth participation across India.
The AICU on August 23 elected A. Chinnappan of Delhi as its national president and Alexander Anthony of Kolkata as its national vice president for the 2026-2028 term.
The elections were held during the organization’s annual general body meeting in New Delhi, ushering in a new leadership team for an organization that has long championed religious freedom, minority rights and social justice.
Chinnappan, a retired senior executive of the Aditya Birla Group who retired as assistant vice president, brings decades of professional and church leadership experience to the role.
Born in Munnar, Kerala, he has served in a variety of parish and diocesan positions, including the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Laity Commission and the Inter-Faith and Ecumenism Commission.
Setting out his vision for the organization, Chinnappan said: “One Faith. Three Rites. One Catholic Family.”
He also called for “a stronger youth, a stronger AICU,” describing an organization that is “united in its diversity, strong in its faith, connected to its grassroots, self-innovative in its approach, constructive in its relationship with the Church, and committed to the service of India.”
Chinnappan said the national body should have a presence “in every state and diocese,” remaining as close as possible to Catholic communities across the country.
Anthony, a Kolkata-based businessman and longtime lay leader, has been active in Catholic organizations since his student days at St. Xavier’s institutions in Kolkata.
He served as secretary general and later president of the Catholic Association of Bengal and held leadership roles within the Archdiocese of Calcutta, including service on the organizing committee for the 2016 celebrations marking the sainthood of Mother Teresa.
Anthony joined the AICU in 2006 as West Bengal state president. He later served as honorary treasurer, assistant vice president and secretary general before being elected national vice president.
The AICU said it remains committed to defending “the rights of Christians facing persecution” and supporting “freedom of faith in India.” The organization has also advocated for Dalit Christians, seeking their inclusion in protections and benefits available to other Dalit communities.
Beyond church issues, the union has worked to strengthen civil society and build relationships with other Christian denominations and people of different faiths nationwide.
Founded in 1919, the AICU — Asia’s largest association of Catholic laity – is tasked with a mission to represent and articulate the aspirations of the laity, pro-ecclesia, and unwavering in its support to the synodal church.
AICU seeks to speak up against all forms of injustice, fight against attempts to divide people along race, religion and community lines, to ensure, social, political, and economic freedom among every citizen of India, according to its website.
Whether it is AICU or CAB – the office bearers should realize that they are just stewards (caretakers) for their specific elected term and not lifetime office bearers! After their term is over, they have to pass the baton to their successors.
CAB’s Constitution allows its office bearers a term of three years. They are eligible to another three-year term subject to standing for re-election and getting re-elected. The current office bearers’ tenure elapsed on 01 September 2021. Yet they are illegally continuing in office without getting re-elected at an AGM (last called in 2019). The Constitution does not confer any automatic right to re-election. Because the CAB Central Committee is unethical and illegal, its entire Executive Committee and all the Parish Units are also null and void. They all should be sacked from their membership. When will the Life Members wake up from their slumber?
The above comments by Isaac (former Honorary Treasurer of CAB for the period 2012-2015) are very comprehensive and clearly summarizes the unabashed greed for power at any cost in the oldest Catholic association of India (established in 1911). I recall that during the AGMs, Archbishop Thomas D’Souza used to praise the clarity of his accounts and his appreciation was recorded in the Minutes of the AGM.
It’s very shameful political clout was being used by the so-called first woman president of CAB, propped by her sycophant members of the Executive Committee. What is intriguing is why is there so much craze for presidentship of CAB? Are there be some unseen perquisites which does not meet the eye? Power in parish pastoral/finance committees, school/college admission racquet in cahoots with the powers that be of Catholic educational institutions, reciprocated by freebies (lunch, dinners, big hampers, crates of fluid, etc)? One previous CAB president used to say that he could be contacted in case any Catholic students faced difficulty in getting admission in some elite Catholic schools and colleges. Looks like the post of CAB president comes with several benefits including contacts with politicians and people-who-matter in the Executive! But all these come at a price. All said and done, at the moment there is nothing ‘Catholic’ about the Catholic Association of Bengal except all unholy alliances. Saint Teresa who is repeatedly trumpeted as CAB’s Patron Saint must be feeling very agitated from above!
Does All India Catholic Union (AICU) have an ‘OVERSIGHT’ capacity over all Lay Catholic associations in India to ensure they function in a transparent manner demonstrating Catholic principles and probity? Can it not look into the murky affairs of Catholic Association of Bengal (CAB) which has held no AGM and no audited accounts after 2019 and no election of office bearers after 2018 and has been held to ransom ostensibly by using the connections of the erstwhile TMC government? CAB has never seen such despicable state of affairs in its 117-year history.
I recall AICU delegates visiting Kolkata in 2012 to scout for meritorious Catholic students who wanted to pursue IFS/IAS/IPS and Judicial Services. They promised they would sponsor their course fees. Such visits have sadly stopped. No wonder Catholic leadership is not coming up in Kolkata!
It’s high time AICU took upon itself the responsibility of all-India oversight, with or without renewal of affiliation fees. If we don’t clean up own stables, can we fault the government of persecuting Christians? It will then be the height of hypocrisy!
Congratulations to the newly elected leaders.
All India Catholic Union (AICU) was founded in 1919. Catholic Association of Bengal was founded in 1911 (as per its logo, Centenary Celebration plaque 2011 and Centenary Celebration at St Xavier’s College, Kolkata auditorium in 2011 where Alexander Anthony was in the organising committee and Dr John Dayal of AICU was a dignitary). Which one then is the oldest Lay Catholic Organization in South and Southeast Asia?
Of course, barring its claim to history, Catholic Association of Bengal has been mired in things ‘UNCATHOLIC’ – all sorts of controversy and corruption, including power-grabbing by the current so-called president, her office bearers and the Executive Committee (lackeys). As per the Association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, they were elected on 02 September 2018, for a term of three years. Readers may refer to Times of India report link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/oldest-catholic-association-gets-first-woman-president/articleshow/65665791.cms. Their elected term ended long ago in September 2021. Yet they have been forcibly and shamelessly holding on to power beyond their elected tenure, without calling any AGM (after 2019) and without conducting fresh election of office bearers. The president flaunts herself as the General Secretary- Minority Cell, Trinamool Congress Party! The Archbishop of Calcutta is ex officio Chairman of the Association. For reasons best known, Archbishop Emeritus Thomas D’Souza was tight-lipped on this impropriety and quietly retired. The new Archbishop Elias is equally maintaining a studied silence! How ‘Catholic’ then is Catholic Association of Bengal and may be the Archdiocese of Calcutta on whose premises Catholic Association of Bengal has its registered office? The irony is only the other day (August 23, 2026) the Catholic Church in India observed Justice Sunday, focusing on the theme “Justice Begins with Us” (Isaiah 1:17)!!