Annual Conference of Canon Law Society of India Held in Bangalore

Bangalore, October 24, 2025: Nearly 130 canonists from across India gathered at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) in Bangalore from 13 to 17 October to deliberate on the theme, “The Temporal Goods of the Church,” during the 38th Annual Conference of the Canon Law Society of India (CLSI).

The five-day conference was inaugurated by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop Emeritus of Mumbai and Founder-President of CLSI, along with Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore. Distinguished participants included Archbishop Elias Frank of Kolkata, Bishop A. Rayappan of Salem, Bishop Jose Sebastian of Jalandhar, and Bishop Arockiaraj Satis Kumar of Bangalore.

The event explored several key topics such as the pastoral dimension of the Church’s temporal goods, the role of diocesan financial administrators, administration of temporal goods in dioceses, parishes and religious institutes, financial malfeasance, collective Mass offerings, Synodal implications for Canon Law, simulation and defective consent, and the role of women in Church ministries.

During the conference, newly qualified members, those who had recently completed their licentiate or doctorate degrees in canon law, were warmly welcomed into the society after presenting brief summaries of their research findings.

The resource persons included Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop Elias Frank of Kolkata, Bishop A. Rayappan of Salem, Bishop Arockiaraj Satis Kumar of Bangalore, Fr. Lourdusamy T., Fr. Benny Tharakunnel CMI, Fr. Merlin Ambrose, Fr. Valerian Sequeira, and Fr. Mercy John.

The conference provided an opportunity for participants to update their understanding of recent juridical and magisterial developments in the Catholic Church and their implications for the faithful. The conference provided an opportunity for participants to update their understanding of recent juridical and magisterial developments in the Catholic Church and their implications for the faithful. The event was meticulously organised by Fr. Lourdusamy T., President of CLSI, along with executive committee members Fr. Ebijin Arackal, Fr. Raju, Fr. K.T. Emmanuel, Fr. Merlin Ambrose, Fr. John Mendonca, and the Local Organising Team of DVK.

By Fr. Lourdusamy T.,

President, CLSI