Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão has called on the Church in India to become more participatory, inclusive, and missionary through the spirit of synodality.
Speaking about the Church’s journey in India, the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India said synodality is both a grace and a responsibility. He explained that the Church must move from “working for people to walking with people” by promoting listening, shared responsibility, and active participation.
The Cardinal said India is already familiar with walking together through families, parishes, basic Christian communities, and religious groups. However, he noted that the Church now needs to make this journey more intentional, organised, and missionary.
He highlighted that India’s diversity of cultures, languages, rites, and traditions is a gift. According to him, synodality helps the Church strengthen unity while respecting differences. He stressed that unity does not mean uniformity but working together in Christ.
Cardinal Ferrão also called for a stronger culture of listening, especially to young people, women, and those on the margins of society. He said bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful must create more spaces for dialogue and participation.
He identified several challenges facing the Church in India, including clericalism, lack of formation in synodal values, fear of change, and social divisions such as caste and class differences.
The Cardinal encouraged Catholics to see these challenges as opportunities for renewal and mission. He said the CCBI’s Mission 2033 pastoral plan offers a practical roadmap for building a synodal Church through communion, participation, and mission.
