Cardinal Poola new president of the Indian Bishops' Conference

The Dalit prelate, archbishop of Hyderabad, chosen by Pope Francis in 2022 as cardinal, has been elected to lead the CBCI, the collegial body that brings together the dioceses of the Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites. Monsignor Chandra Nayak tells AsiaNews: ‘Chosen for his merits: a message from the bishops to the whole of Indian society’. During the Assembly, the new translation of the missal into Konkani, the local language of Goa, was also presented.

Bengaluru (AsiaNews) - Cardinal Antony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad, has been elected the new president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), the body that brings together bishops of all rites from India's 174 dioceses (Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara communities). The election took place on 6 February during the CBCI general assembly currently being held at St John's Medical College in Bengaluru, Karnataka State.

Cardinal Poola succeeds Syro-Malabar Andrews Thazhath, archbishop of Thrissur, who has led the collegial body since 2022. He takes over the leadership of the coordinating body of Catholic bishops in India at a time of significant social, pastoral and constitutional challenges facing the Church and the nation.

Cardinal Poola is 64 years old and a native of Poluru, in the diocese of Kurnool, where he was bishop from 2008 before being appointed archbishop of Hyderabad in 2020. Born into a mixed Dalit family with a Catholic father and Hindu mother, he experienced first-hand the marginalisation of the ‘untouchables’ from an early age. Precisely for this reason, Pope Francis' decision to create him a cardinal in 2022 was very significant for India, where even within the Church the legacy of this system of inequality sometimes remains. This is also an important aspect of his election as head of the CBCI.

The bishop of Berhampur, Msgr. Sarat Chandra Nayak, president of the Episcopal Conference's Commission for Castes and Other Disadvantaged Groups, emphasises this: ‘The president is elected by secret ballot, according to long-established statutes,’ he told AsiaNews. By choosing Cardinal Poola for his merits, the bishops have sent a clear and prophetic message to those who still carry with them the logic of castes (both as perpetrators and victims): Dalits and tribal people can be leaders in the Church at all levels. In God there is no partiality. The synodal spirit and discernment should help the Catholic Church to enjoy the fullness of joy promised by Christ, freeing itself from the remnants of the caste mentality and accepting the fundamental equality of all the baptised."

Meanwhile, the meeting of Indian bishops in Bengaluru in recent days was also an opportunity for another significant gesture: the official publication of the new edition of the Missal in Konkani, the most widely spoken language among the inhabitants of Goa. The liturgical book, which has been approved by the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship, is the result of 16 years of work promoted by the CCBI (the conference that brings together the Latin Rite bishops of India). It is an important step in strengthening the liturgical life of the faithful, allowing them to participate more fully in the Eucharistic celebration in their mother tongue.

The Missal is written in both romi script (Latin alphabet) and kannada script (abugida of the Brahmi script family), in order to ‘ensure wider accessibility to the communities of Karnataka, Goa and neighbouring regions, while preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of Konkani in the life of the Church,’ according to a statement released by the CCBI.

Konkani is the mother tongue of the Goans, the inhabitants of Goa, and is also spoken in the coastal areas of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. It is also an official language of the state, recognised by the Indian Constitution. It has been historically influenced by other local Dravidian languages - such as Kannada, Tulu, Kodava and Marathi - due to the continuous migration of the community. Followers of different religions - including Christianity, Hinduism and Islam - have also influenced, enriched and contributed to its development.

Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-European language family and is spoken by over 2 million people. As its speakers live alongside communities that speak Marathi – the third most widely spoken mother tongue in India after Hindi and Bengali – the two languages are similar in some respects. However, Konkani has older origins than Marathi: its first known inscription dates back to 1187.

The Missal was presented by the Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, who emphasised ‘the Holy See's approval of the project and the universal character of the Church's liturgy’. The event was also attended by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Darman and President of the CCBI, Archbishop Peter Machado, Vice-President, Archbishop Vincent Aind of Bengaluru, Secretary General, and Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha, President of the Commission for Liturgy in Konkani.

‘The long-term project was guided by the leadership of the CCBI and saw close collaboration between liturgical scholars and linguistic experts to ensure theological accuracy and linguistic fidelity,’ the statement said. Key contributors include Fr Vijay Machado, Dr Rudolph Pinto, and Dr Stephen Alathara. The revision required ‘sixteen years of constant scientific and pastoral commitment.’ The process involved drafting, revision, and alignment with the editio typica, culminating in the completion of the text in January 2026.

(with contributions from Nirmala Carvalho)

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