'The joy of the priesthood': diocesan priests conference in the sanctuary of Vailankanni
The place was chosen to reinvigorate the pastoral enthusiasm of the men of the Church and to revive priestly unity. The Conference of Diocesan priests of India is an association of the Latin rite of the Indian Church. The beatitudes of priests.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Indian state of Tamil Nadu hosted the second congress of the Conference of diocesan priests of India (CDPI), on the theme "The joy of the priesthood". The program ran from January 28 to 31 in the basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni. The place was chosen to reinvigorate the pastoral enthusiasm of the men of the Church and to revive priestly unity.
The CDPI is the association that takes care of guiding the Commission for vocations, seminarians, clergy and religious of the Conference of Latin Rite Bishops [CCBI, one of the three rites of the Indian Bishops' Conference - ed.]. Born in 2001, it obtained the recognition of association in 2008. In 2014 it approved its internal statute.
Among the objectives of the organization: to strengthen relationships by building unity among priests; deepen the fraternity between bishops and priests; continue formation in accordance with pastoral spirituality and the signs of the times; expand the pastoral bond between priests beyond the borders of their respective dioceses; create a network of mutual support in the realization of the kingdom of God at the local level and in the universal Church.
700 priests attended the Vailankanni congress representing 91 dioceses out of 132 of the Latin rite of the Indian Church. Among the themes of the work sessions, joy in celebrating Christ, in building the kingdom of God and being messengers of joy.
Card. Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Indian Bishops' Conference, celebrated the inaugural mass. In his speech, he recalled the eight beatitudes of the priests, as already outlined by Pope Francis: “Joyful is the priest who has Personal authentic solid relations with Jesus;Joyful is the priest who has the smell of the sheep; Joyful is the priest who who is simple in lifestyle; Joyful is the priest who reaches out to the peripheries; Joyful is the priest who has a heart of Mercy; Joyful is the priest who is nourished by and nourishes others with the Word of God; Joyful is the priest who shuns the attitude of Clericalism and Joyful is the priest who put his trust in the Lord”.
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