Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Pre-sident of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Fe-deration of Asian Bish-ops’ Conferences (FABC), has been elected as a member of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod. The election took place on October 23, 2024, during the 15th General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops. The Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Ordinary General Assembly. The Members of the Ordinary Council take office at the end of the Ordinary General Assembly that elected them; they are Members of the next Ordinary General Assembly and cease from their mandate at the dissolution of the latter. The Council, chaired by the Holy Father Pope Francis, is an integral part of the General Secretariat.

The Holy Father Pope Francis has made new appointments to four Indian dioceses, naming Fr. Thomas D’Souza (54) as the Bishop of Vasai in Maha-rashtra, Fr. Ambrose Pitchaimuthu (58) as the Bishop of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, and Rev. Anthony Das Pilli (51) as the Coadjutor Bishop of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, he has transferred Bishop Paul Simick (61), previously the Apostolic Vicar of Nepal, to serve as the Bishop of Bagdogra. The appointments were announced on November 9, 2024.

Pope Fran-cis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Antony Pappu-samy, 75, from his duties as the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Madurai, appoi-nting Bishop Antonysamy Savari-muthu, 63, of Palayamkottai as the Apostolic Administrator. This transi-tion marks a new chapter for the Archdiocese, which Archbishop Pappusamy has led with dedication and pastoral care since 2014. Known for his humility, warmth, and deep-rooted faith, Archbishop Pappusamy has left an indelible mark on the lives of the faithful and his fellow clergy. His compassionate approach allowed him to connect personally with those he served, transcending titles and roles to form a spiritual family. His legacy, defined by empathy and devotion, will continue to inspire the Church well beyond his tenure.