About KCBC
Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), the Regional Bishops’ Council for the State of Kerala, is constituted under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) to cater the special needs of the apostolate in the State. It is to be understood as an assembly in which all the Catholic Bishops of Kerala, "conscious of their unity and solidarity, received by virtue of the Episcopal consecration" (CD 3), "jointly exercise their pastoral office in order to promote that good which the Church offers all mankind" (CD 38), "and thus foster unity of action and strive together to meet their common tasks" (OE 4), on questions of common concern to the Episcopal Bodies of three Churches sui iuris of Kerala, and of a state-wide and supra-ritual character and importance, questions involving the Catholic Church and other bodies, and any other matter which the three Episcopal Bodies desire the Council to deal with (cfr. Statutes of KCBC, Art. 2) The decisions and resolutions of the Council are recommendatory in nature, the competence of each diocesan and eparchial bishop remaining intact, except in cases where legislative power is given to it by the Apostolic See. The Council is a juridical person recognized both by the civil and the Canon Laws and therefore has all the rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities and competencies accorded to such juridical entities in civil law and Church law. The registered office and the Secretariat of the Council are headquartered in the Pastoral Orientation Centre (POC), Palarivattom, Kochi 682 025. Tel. 0484-2805722, 2805815. As the central secretariat of the KCBC, the POC is in constant interaction with the society facilitating social justice, communal harmony and peace and fighting for the interest of the poor and protecting environment. President H.B. Moran Mar Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, Vice President H.E. Rt. Rev. Mar Pauly Kannookadan, Secretary General H.E. Rt. Rev. Dr. Alex Vadakkumthala, and Deputy Secretary General Rev. Fr. Thomas Tharayil, who also serves as the Director of POC, function as the leadership team of KCBC.
KCBC Leadership
H.B. Moran Mar Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos
H.E Rt. Rev. Mar Pauly Kannookadan
H. E. Rt. Rev. Dr. Alex Vadakkumthala
Rev. Fr. Thomas Tharayil
KCBC at a Glance: United in Witness
Latin Catholic Church
The Latin Catholic Church in Kerala follows the Roman Rite and has a rich history dating back to Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. With 11 ecclesiastical units including the Archdioceses of Verapoly and Trivandrum, the Latin Church serves over 1.2 million faithful across Kerala. The community is known for its strong educational institutions, healthcare services, and active participation in Kerala's social development.
History
The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), the Regional Bishops’ Council for the State of Kerala, is constituted under the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) to cater the special needs of the apostolate in the State. It is to be understood as an assembly in which all the Catholic Bishops of Kerala, "conscious of their unity and solidarity, received by virtue of the Episcopal consecration" (CD 3), "jointly exercise their pastoral office in order to promote that good which the Church offers all mankind" (CD 38), "and thus foster unity of action and strive together to meet their common tasks" (OE 4), on questions of common concern to the Episcopal Bodies of three Churches sui iuris of Kerala, and of a state-wide and supra-ritual character and importance, questions involving the Catholic Church and other bodies, and any other matter which the three Episcopal Bodies desire the Council to deal with (cfr. Statutes of KCBC, Art. 2).
The decisions and resolutions of the Council are recommendatory in nature, the competence of each diocesan and eparchial bishop remaining intact, except in cases where legislative power is given to it by the Apostolic See. The Council is a juridical person recognized both by the civil and the Canon Laws and therefore has all the rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities and competencies accorded to such juridical entities in civil law and Church law. The registered office and the Secretariat of the Council are headquartered in the Pastoral Orientation Centre (POC), Palarivattom, Kochi 682 025. Tel. 0484-2805722, 2805815. As the central secretariat of the KCBC, the POC is in constant interaction with the society facilitating social justice, communal harmony and peace and fighting for the interest of the poor and protecting environment.
His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos serves as President, His Excellency Rt. Rev. Mar Pauly Kannookadan as Vice-President, His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Alex Vadakkumthala as Secretary General, and Rev. Fr. Jacob G Palackappilly functions as the Deputy Secretary General KCBC and Director of the POC.
Vision/Purpose
Its purpose is to facilitate common action of the Hierarchy in matters that affect or are liable to affect the common interests of the Catholic Church in India. Through it the Bishops of India, conscious of their unity and solidarity in the episcopate, “jointly exercise their pastoral office by way of promoting that greater good which the Church offers to humankind, especially through forms and programmes of the apostolate which are fittingly adapted to the circumstances of the age” (C.D., 38.1).
Ecclesiastical Organization
New Ecclesial Reality
In the wake of the Letter of Pope John Paul II (1987) to all the Bishops of India, we have the ecclesial reality of three Episcopal Bodies with their own rights and ecclesiastical legislation. The three Individual sui juris (Ritual) Churches have their respective Episcopal Bodies: Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) for the Latin Church, Syro-Malabar Bishops' Synod (SMBS) for the Syro-Malabar Church and Holy Episcopal Synod for the Syro-Malankara Church.
The CBCI serves as the face of the Catholic Church in India and deals with 'questions of common concern and of national and supra-ritual character' (Letter of Pope John Paul II). The KCBC, as a Regional Bishops' Council for Kerala, coordinates the pastoral activities of these three ecclesial bodies within Kerala and works in collaboration with the 14 Regional Councils of Bishops across India.
Besides other roles or functions, the KCBC Secretariat will:
- Strengthen and foster the relations among the three sui juris Churches as communion; be a coordinating body for common programmes of inter-ritual and supra-ritual character involving the three Episcopal Bodies at the National level;
- Promote advocacy on national issues; make representation to Government, liaising with the Central Government and Ministries/Departments of the Centre; influence government policies for nation building and development of peoples.
- Network with other Christian Churches (v.gr. NCCI), organizations (v.gr. NUCF), associations of civil society and people of other religions and all people of good will to work for peace and harmony, for probity in public life, for promotion of human rights and Gospel values.
Office-Bearers
The Deputy Secretary General, who is also the Director of the KCBC Centre, sees to the day-to-day functioning of the KCBC Secretariat and KCBC Centre.
General Body
At such Meetings the Reports of various Offices, National Centres and Regional Councils are submitted. While the Report of the Secretary General is published along with the Report of the General Body Meeting of the KCBC, the Biennial Reports of the KCBC Offices, National Centres and Regional Bishops’ Councils are printed separately just before the Meeting.
Standing Committee
- The Office-Bearers of the Conference (President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary General);
- The Presidents of the three Ritual Episcopal Bodies;
- The Metropolitans (Archbishops of Agra, Bangalore, Bhopal, Bombay, Calcutta, Changanacherry, Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, Delhi, Ernakulam-Angamaly, Gandhinagar, Goa and Daman, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Kottayam, Madras-Mylapore, Madurai, Nagpur, Patna, Pondicherry-Cuddalore, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Tellicherry, Tiruvalla, Trichur, Trivandrum [Syro-Malankara Rite], Trivandrum [Latin Rite], Verapoly and Visakhapatnam);
- The Bishops-in-Charge of KCBC Offices, Councils and Chairmen of National Centres;
- Co-opted members by the President of the Conference up to a maximum of four so that representation of the Orientals is about one fourth of the total membership of the Standing Committee.
Functioning
Pilgrim Centers
- St. Mary Queen of Peace Basilica, Palayam
- Our lady of Dolours Basilica, Trichur
- St.Thomas Forane Church, Palayoor
- Tomb of St. Alphonsa Bharananganam
- St. Augustine's Forane Church, Ramapuram
- The Basilica of Our Lady of Snow Pallipuram
- St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Cathedral Basilica Ernakulam
- St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica Angamaly
- Kottakkavu Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Pilgrim Church, North Paravur
- Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Kochi
- Champakulam Kalloorkad Church
- St. Teresa's Shrine, Mahe
- St. Andrew’s Basilica Arthunkal
- Our Lady of Ransom Basilica, Vallarpadam
- St. Thomas Mount, Malayatoor
Institutes
- Major Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly
- Archdiocese of Chenganacherry
- Archdiocese of Kottayam
- Archdiocese of Tellicherry
- Archdiocese of Thrichur
- Diocese of Idukki
- Diocese of Irinjalakkuda
- Archdiocese of Kanjirappally
- Diocese of Kothamangalam
- Diocese of Mananthawadi
- Diocese of Pala
- Diocese of Palghat
- Diocese of Thamarassery
- Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum
- Archdiocese of Tiruvalla
- Diocese of Bathery
- Diocese of Mavelikkara
- Diocese of Moovattupuzha
- Diocese of Parassala
- Diocese of Pathanamthitta
- Archdiocese of Calicut
- Archdiocese of Trivandrum
- Archdiocese of Verapoly
- Diocese of Alleppey
- Diocese of Cochin
- Diocese of Kannur
- Diocese of Kottappuram
- Diocese of Neyyattinkara
- Diocese of Punalur
- Diocese of Quilon
- Diocese of Sultanpet
- Diocese of Vijayapuram