Pastoral Council Meet of Bengal Regional Bishops’ Conference Held in Raiganj

RAIGUNGE, West Bengal, February 27, 2025: The Regional Pastoral Council of the Bengal Regional Bishops’ Conference (BRBC) was held from February 25-27 in Raigunge. The event commenced on the 25th of February with an inaugural Mass presided over by Archbishop Thomas D'Souza, President of the Conference. The newly ordained Bishop of Bagdogra, Rt. Revd. Paul Simick, and the bishop-elect of Jalpaiguri, Revd. Fabian Toppo, were co-celebrants at the Eucharistic celebration that marked the beginning of the gathering.

The council, attended by bishops and pastoral leaders from across the region, aimed to strengthen pastoral planning and implementation at the diocesan and regional levels. After the mass, Fr. Christopher Vimalraj, associate secretary general of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), led a full-day session on the CCBI National Pastoral Plan, guiding the bishops through its key components and strategies for effective pastoral engagement.

On February 27, Fr. Christopher facilitated an interactive exercise on pastoral planning, enabling participants to reflect on and align their diocesan priorities with the broader national vision. The discussions during the exercise focused on pastoral challenges, mission strategies, and ways to foster community engagement in the Church’s evangelisation efforts.

By Fr. Farell Shah