Dioces in Kerala
Welcome to KRLCC
The Catholic Church in Kerala is communion of three sui-juris churches: The Latin, the Syro-Malabar and the Syro- Malankara Catholic Churches. The Latin Church in Kerala owes its origin to the missionaries from Europe who began their evangelization in Kerala in the 13th Century A.D. Kerala witnessed during 16th and 17th centuries a spurt in evangelization by missionaries of many western congregations of which the work of St. Francis Xavier (1542-1552) stands monumental. Over the past five centuries the Latin Catholic church in Kerala has grown into 11 dioceses having 2 million faithful.
KERALA REGION LATIN CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ COUNCIL (KRLCBC)
In 1987 Pope John Paul II directed the Catholic Bishops of India to establish Episcopal Bodies proper to each rite, to be faithful to their tradition and heritage and to pay attention to the preservation and growth of each individual church. In response to the Pope’s letter CBCI was reorganized and conferences of the respective churches were established. CCBI was retained as the Common Episcopal Body of India. The National Conference of Latin Bishops, known as the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) came into existence in 1988 and various commissions became operative under it.
In Kerala, Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) was reorganized into 3 Episcopal Conferences of individual churches. KCBC is retained as the Common Episcopal Body of Kerala. The new situation called for infrastructure and bodies according to the pastoral exigencies of each rite. The Latin Bishops of Kerala came up with a historic decision in 2001 to initiate a united effort to realize the Pope’s vision of giving witness to Christ as an individual church.
The Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishops Council (KRLCBC) is the regional Episcopal Body in Kerala comprising the ecclesiastical provinces of Verapoly and Trivandrum consisting of 2 Archdioceses and 9 dioceses. The Bishops Council (KRLCC) has also constituted commissions for Clergy & Religious, Liturgy, Catechetics & Bible, Family, Laity, Education and Media.
KERALA REGION LATIN CATHOLIC COUNCIL (KRLCC)
The formation of Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) was another milestone in the history of the Latin Church in Kerala. On 24th May 2002 the Latin Catholic Bishops’ Council, after wide consultations, formally inaugurated Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council - KRLCC a larger complementary body to make the functioning of the Latin Church in Kerala broad based and functionally participatory. It is the apex policy making body of Latin Catholics in Kerala. It is also an umbrella body for all the organizations working within the Latin Church. It functions along the lines of a provincial council envisaged in the canon law.
All the Bishops and Vicars General of the Latin dioceses, the heads of the religious congregations and the representative of priests and laity from all Latin dioceses and leaders of Lay Associations are members of the KRLCC. The President and the Deputy Secretary of the Bishops’ Council are respectively the President and General Secretary of KRLCC. This body ensures the co-operation and participation of all sections of the Latin Church in policy making. A few of its main objectives are as follows:
1. To plan, co-ordinate and monitor collective pastoral action within the region for the preservation, propagation and enrichment of the catholic faith.
2. To promote lay leadership in the church and in the society.
3. To strive for the modulation of the socio-cultural life of the community in tune with the moral principles of the universal church
4. To conduct scientific studies on the various problems affecting the community and to co-ordinate and guide the movements for the emancipation of the Latin Catholic Community.
5. To impart training and formation to the priests and laity in view of a common venture for the total and integral development of the Latin catholic community.
6. To evolve a common ecclesiastical discipline within the region.
These objectives are fulfilled through the functioning of the various commissions of KRLCBC. They are commissions for Clergy & Religious, Liturgy, Catechetics & Bible, Family, Laity, Education and Media. All of them function unitedly in co-operation with Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC).
Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil who was mainly instrumental in the formation of the KRLCC and gave leadership to it from its inception was called to his eternal abode in October 26th 2009. As the head of the Latin hierarchy he gave effective leadership to the Church and the Community. His foresight, vision and practical wisdom in uniting the Latin Diocese of Kerala through the KRLCC have given him a unique place in the history of the Latin Catholic Community.
KERALA REGION LATIN CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ COUNCIL (KRLCBC)
In 1987 Pope John Paul II directed the Catholic Bishops of India to establish Episcopal Bodies proper to each rite, to be faithful to their tradition and heritage and to pay attention to the preservation and growth of each individual church. In response to the Pope’s letter CBCI was reorganized and conferences of the respective churches were established. CCBI was retained as the Common Episcopal Body of India. The National Conference of Latin Bishops, known as the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) came into existence in 1988 and various commissions became operative under it.
In Kerala, Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) was reorganized into 3 Episcopal Conferences of individual churches. KCBC is retained as the Common Episcopal Body of Kerala. The new situation called for infrastructure and bodies according to the pastoral exigencies of each rite. The Latin Bishops of Kerala came up with a historic decision in 2001 to initiate a united effort to realize the Pope’s vision of giving witness to Christ as an individual church.
The Kerala Region Latin Catholic Bishops Council (KRLCBC) is the regional Episcopal Body in Kerala comprising the ecclesiastical provinces of Verapoly and Trivandrum consisting of 2 Archdioceses and 9 dioceses. The Bishops Council (KRLCC) has also constituted commissions for Clergy & Religious, Liturgy, Catechetics & Bible, Family, Laity, Education and Media.
KERALA REGION LATIN CATHOLIC COUNCIL (KRLCC)
The formation of Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) was another milestone in the history of the Latin Church in Kerala. On 24th May 2002 the Latin Catholic Bishops’ Council, after wide consultations, formally inaugurated Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council - KRLCC a larger complementary body to make the functioning of the Latin Church in Kerala broad based and functionally participatory. It is the apex policy making body of Latin Catholics in Kerala. It is also an umbrella body for all the organizations working within the Latin Church. It functions along the lines of a provincial council envisaged in the canon law.
All the Bishops and Vicars General of the Latin dioceses, the heads of the religious congregations and the representative of priests and laity from all Latin dioceses and leaders of Lay Associations are members of the KRLCC. The President and the Deputy Secretary of the Bishops’ Council are respectively the President and General Secretary of KRLCC. This body ensures the co-operation and participation of all sections of the Latin Church in policy making. A few of its main objectives are as follows:
1. To plan, co-ordinate and monitor collective pastoral action within the region for the preservation, propagation and enrichment of the catholic faith.
2. To promote lay leadership in the church and in the society.
3. To strive for the modulation of the socio-cultural life of the community in tune with the moral principles of the universal church
4. To conduct scientific studies on the various problems affecting the community and to co-ordinate and guide the movements for the emancipation of the Latin Catholic Community.
5. To impart training and formation to the priests and laity in view of a common venture for the total and integral development of the Latin catholic community.
6. To evolve a common ecclesiastical discipline within the region.
These objectives are fulfilled through the functioning of the various commissions of KRLCBC. They are commissions for Clergy & Religious, Liturgy, Catechetics & Bible, Family, Laity, Education and Media. All of them function unitedly in co-operation with Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC).
Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil who was mainly instrumental in the formation of the KRLCC and gave leadership to it from its inception was called to his eternal abode in October 26th 2009. As the head of the Latin hierarchy he gave effective leadership to the Church and the Community. His foresight, vision and practical wisdom in uniting the Latin Diocese of Kerala through the KRLCC have given him a unique place in the history of the Latin Catholic Community.
