CCBI Saint Paul’s Bible College Celebrates Convocation Ceremony and Bible Creative Ministry Awards

Bengaluru, April 14, 2024 – CCBI Saint Paul’s Bible College proudly hosted its Convocation

All India Bible Congress 2023-2024: Empowering Communities through Proclamation of the Word of God

Bengaluru, India, April 14, 2024 – The All India Bible Congress 2023-2024,

22 to 24 August 2023

National Seminar (South Zone) on Skills

The National Seminar of the South Zone

Forthcoming Programs

(a) Certificate Course on Biblical Interpretation. A new venture from St. Paul’s Bible College; (b) A Joint Workshop on Intertextual Reading of Sacred Scriptures; and (c) All-India Seminar (in two zones) on ‘Skills for Biblical Pastoral Ministry.’

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

‘Every-body’ was the theme proposed for the nation-wide celebrations of the Bible in summer holidays. The Commission assisted the Regions in developing the tool kit.

X Plenary Assembly of the CBF

The Chairman and the Executive Secretary to the Commission attended the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation (CBF) convoked from 15 to 21 April 2023, at Mar del Plata, Argentina on the theme: “Proclaiming the Word – Gift of Life for a Fragile World (Rom 8:22-23)”. The Chairman presented the paper on the title, “Is and should true Christian faith today be: a gift or a sacrifice?”

Collaboration with Jerusalem Centre

The Executive Secretary visited Sr. Margaret Zdunich NDS, Director of The Notre Dame de Sion Centre for Biblical Formation, Jerusalem, on 23 March 2023, to discuss exchange programs between the Centre and the CCBI St. Paul’s Bible College.

Visits to the Regions

The National Secretary’s visit to the Kerala region took place on 7 Feb 2023 at Alleppey. We reflected on the theme ‘Bible and Liturgy: Interrelationship and Implications for Pastoral Ministry.’ The Bihar Region was visited on 11-12 Feb 2023 in Patna. The theme taken for discussion was ‘Family in the Bible, and Bible in the Family.’ The Tamil Nadu Region was visited on 21 June 2023, at Tindivanam, on the theme ‘Skills for Biblical Pastoral Ministry.’

Online Regional Secretaries’ Meetings

The Quarterly meetings of the Regional Secretaries were held on 11 March 2023, and 17 June 2023 at Google Meet to discuss the following: Update the national consultative body for Biblical Pastoral Ministry in India; Create new programs to animate and train lay ministers for Biblical Pastoral Ministry; Theme for the Word of God Sunday 2024.

Know Your Bible Series

On the last Sunday of every month an online lecture is being organised, as part of contact class for the postal and online programs of St. Paul’s Bible College: ‘Minor Prophets’ (Jan); ‘Major Prophets’ (Feb); ‘Psalms’ (March); ‘Wisdom Literature’ (April); ‘Introduction to New Testament’ (May); and ‘Synoptic Problem and Gospel of Mark’ (June).

Imprimatur to The Ho Bible 2021

Responding to the request of Most Rev. Telesphore Bilung SVD, Bishop of Jhamshedpur, seeking imprimatur to the newly translated The Ho Bible 2021, our Commission did a random verification of the text on 6-7 January 2023 in a meeting of scholars and translators gathered in Jamshedpur. The text was granted imprimatur after being voted at the XXXIV CCBI Plenary Assembly.

The Word of God Sunday 2023

“Enlarge the Space of Your Tent” [Isa 54:2]: Recognising the Word of God in our Life and Responding to It” was the theme proposed for the Word of God Sunday celebrations. A national online seminar was conducted on 21 January 2023 to reflect on the theme.

11 - 12 February 2023

Bihar Region Meet

Rev. Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi, Executive Secretary, visited the regional secretary

7 February 2023

Kerala Region Meet

Most Rev. James Anaparambil, Bishop of Alleppey, Chairman of the KRLCBC

23 January 2023

Cardinal Tagle with us

On the occasion of the visit of His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal

15 – 21 April, 2023

Kerala Region Meet

Most Rev. Antonysamy Peter Abir

19 – 23 September, 2022

Joint Workshop on Intertextual Reading of Sacred Scriptures

A group of 7 scholars met

Strategic Planning Meeting of the CCBI Commission for Bible

The bishops, the priests, the religious, and the lay faithful involved in the Bible Apostolate gathered together... Readmore

Approval of the Bible Translation in Mundari.

The procedural guideline has been evolved for granting the imprimatur. The Bible... Readmore

Bible Wallpapers for Mobile in Regional languages.

The three regions – Karnataka, Telugu, and Tamil – are creating and circulating bible wallpapers for mobile every day.

Talk on Vatican Radio.

An interview was given on Vatican Radio on the profile and the activities of the Commission.

Networking with the CRI.

The names of the contact persons of the religious congregations (men and women) for the Bible Apostolate have been collected and a database is created.

Meeting the Regional Secretaries.

In the light of the Circular issued by the CCBI Secretary General the regional secretaries (14 regions) meeting was organized on 20 August 2021. Moreover, the meetings with the regional secretaries with the diocesan secretaries of the North East, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu were held in September and October.

Presentation at the CBCI Bishops-Theologians Symposium.

A paper was presented on 21 July 2021 at CBCI Bishops-Theologians Symposium, on Querida Amazonia’s Challenges to Biblical Interpretation in India.

Training on Socio-Psychological Interpretation of the Bible.

In October two training sessions were conducted for the Divine Word Missionaries (SVDs) of Central India Province, and India Hyderabad Province.

Biblical-Pastoral Retreat for the Clergy and the Religious on Inner Freedom.

The online retreat was conducted from 18 – 23 October 2021. The retreat was preached by the Executive Secretary. 16 persons participated in it. The recordings are made available on our YouTube channel.

Biblical Hebrew Foundational Course.

As part of the ‘Read the Bible in Original’ series, the Commission arranged a 30-hour course (July – August 2021) on Biblical Hebrew. 6 students have completed the course and have been awarded certificate.

Guidelines for the Commissions based on Verbum Domini, Evangelii Gaudium, and Aperuit Illis.

Insights are being taken from these documents and practical guidelines and proposals are being worked for the implementation at the diocesan, regional, and national levels.

Seminar on Amoris Laetitia.

A seminar was arranged for our St. Paul Bible College students in April 2021.

Vacation Bible School (VBS) 2022.

Materials are being prepared modeled after Oratorio Estivo in Italy. The work is supervised by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. John Rodrigues, the Member Bishop of the Commission.

Nihil Obstat for Adult Catechism.

The Emmaus Experience: Catechism for Adults. Vols. I, II, and III, the prospective work by the CCBI Commission for Catechesis, was reviewed for Nihil Obstat.

Bible Sunday 2021.

Posters and liturgical leaflet have been prepared and sent to the regional commissions.

International Collaboration.

Most Rev. Dr. Antonysamy Peter Abir, the Chairman of the Commission made a presentation on the Bible Apostolate in India at the CBF online meeting on 18 June 2021. The CCBI Bible Commission collaborates with CBF, CBAI (Catholic Bible Association of India), BSI (Bible Society of India), and TPI (Theological Publications in India). The efforts have been initiated to collaborate with the Pontifical Biblical Commission, Rome.

Joint Webinar on St. Joseph.

The Commission for Bible, in collaboration with Jesuit Chennai Province Commission for Dialogue and Spirituality, is organizing a webinar series (6 lectures from July to December 2021) on St. Joseph. His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, the CCBI Secretary General, gave a presidential felicitation on Wednesday, 27 November 2021, at the 4th webinar in the series.

Nihil Obstat for St. Paul’s New Community Bible.

St. Paul’s Publications has asked for nihil obstat for their New Community Bible. A committee has been employed under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Assisi Saldanha, CSSR, to study the text.

Lectio Divina on YouTube.

Since 15 August 2021. Lectio divina voice-over presentation in English is made available through our St. Paul Online Bible College channel.

St. Paul Bible Correspondence Course.

The Bible Correspondence Course was initiated on 31 July 2021. About 190 students have registered. This is a two-year diploma program with 24 lessons.

Tribute to Tamil Bible Scholars.

The Commission for Bible co-hosted an online tribute to three eminent Bible scholars who passed away due to Covid-19 - Rev. Dr. S. J. Antonysamy, Chennai,... Readmore

Lectio Post in Instagram.

The Bible Commission has launched its Instagram page on 31 May 2021. Since then, it has been distributing Smartphone Posters with a brief Lectio Divina.

Towards the CBF Plenary Assembly

In view of the forthcoming plenary assembly Catholic Biblical Federation, Germany, organizes regional meetings, to listen to the Bible Apostolate projects undertaken. Most Rev. Dr. Antonysamy Peter Abir, the Chairman,... Readmore

Online Lectures at St. Paul Bible College

The students of St. Paul Online Bible College benefit from the online lectures held on the last Sunday of every month. The lectures held and the lecturers assisted... Readmore

Review for Nihil Obstat.

Review for Nihil Obstat. The Emmaus Experience: Catechism for Adults. Vols. I, II, and III, the prospective work by the CCBI Commission for Catechesis, was reviewed for Nihil Obstat.

Regional Secretaries’ Meet

The Regional Secretaries’ Meet was held on Thursday, 25 March 2021, at Google Meet. Most Rev. Dr. Antonysamy Peter Abir, the Chairman of the Commission, presided... Readmore

Installation of the New Secretary

On Friday, 5 March 2021, His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Antonysamy Peter Abir, the Chairman of the Commission for Bible, installed Rev. Dr. Yesu Karunanidhi... Readmore