The Secretariat Extension of CCBI
Shanti Sadan in Benaulim, Goa is the Secretariat Extension of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. It was blessed and inaugurated on 6 January, 2020 by His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bombay in presence of Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrão, the President CCBI and the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Most Rev. George Antonysamy, Vice President CCBI and the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore, Most Rev. Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Secretary General CCBI and Archbishop of Delhi and Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General, CCBI
FABC Office of Peace & Harmony
Shanti Sadan was the FABC Office for Peace and Harmony. The building was first blessed and inaugurated on 18 November, 2003 by His Grace Most Rev. Oswald Gomis, Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was constructed during the time of Rev. Dr. Mario Saturnino Dias, the Executive Secretary to the FABC Office for Peace and Harmony. Later Rev. Fr. Jacob Theckanath was appointed as the Executive Secretary for the FABC Office for Peace and Harmony and when he completed his tenure in 2016 the FABC Central Committee decided to close its office in India. The building became vacant.
Shanti Sadan, CCBI Secretariat Extension
TThe CCBI was discussing long time to begin a new secretariat building. The CCBI 25 Plenary. Assembly held in Vailankanni 5 to 10 February 2013 decided to shift the CCBI General Secretariat to Delhi and 114 out of the 116 members of the house voted in its favour. But it was not able to implement due to various reasons.
Meanwhile Most Rev. Bernard Moras, then the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore was very gracious and generous to offer different plots of land in the Archdiocese of Bangalore. He showed a piece of land in Thambu Chetti Palaya in Bangalore. His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, the President of the CCBI and Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara the then Deputy Secretary General of the CCBI visited the promised land in T C Palaya in 2016 and prepared a feasible report to shift the CCBI Secretariat from Hutchins Road to T C Palaya. Accordingly detailed building plan was drawn. This was discussed in 77 Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI held on 2 May 2017 and the members of the house approved the project. Unfortunately, the project was not implemented because of various reasons.
His Eminence Oswald Carinal Gracias mentioned to Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, the Deputy Secretary General about the FABC building in Benaulim in their official meeting held on 3 January, 2017 at Archbishop’s House, Mumbai.
The Deputy Secretary General was asked to study about the feasibility of FABC building at Benaulim. The Deputy Secretary General met Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrão, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman on
9 September, 2017 and he visited FABC building Benaulim along with Fr. Lucio Dias, the Parish Priest of St. John Baptist Church, Benaulim on 20 September, 2017.The building was constructed in 2002 for the FABC Office for Peace and Harmony. The three-storey building has twenty self-contained rooms which can accommodate 40 persons. There is a chapel, two small conference halls, dining hall, kitchen, two store rooms, office room and parlour. The Building is in good condition with granite floors. For more than ten months the building was not used and there are minor damages in the roof tiles and some fixtures. Each room has its furniture and necessary equipments. The land belongs to the parish. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão could liaise with the parish and make a fresh agreement with the parish and CCBI or with the Archdiocese and the CCBI. The 78 Executive Committee meeting gave a positive response to the proposal.
The proposal was later discussed in 11 Office Bearers meetings: (1) 2 February, 2018 at St. John’s, Bangalore; (3) 7 March, 2018 at St. John’s, Bangalore; (4) 15 March, 2018 at Pius X College, Mumbai, (5) 30 April, 2018, CCBI Centre, Bangalore, (6) 3 May, 2018, St. John’s, Bangalore; (7) 5 July, 2018, St. Pius X College, Mumbai; (8) 23 November, 2018, Archbishop’s House, Mumbai, (9) 7 January, 2019, St. Thomas’s International Centre, Chennai; (10) 6 May, 2019, CCBI Centre, Bangalore and (11) 28 November, 2019, Pastoral Centre, Patna.
The proposal to take over FABC building was discussed in two Plenary Assemblies. (1) 30th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI held on 4 February, 2018 and (2) 31st Plenary Assembly held on 7 to 14 January, Chingleput, Chennai.
Shanti Sadan Renovation
The CCBI made an agreement with FABC and the Fabrica of Benaulim parish. The tripartite perpetual lease agreement prepared by Advocate Joaquim Reis of Mumbai was approved by 80 Executive Committee meeting held on 25 September 2018, at Bangalore. The documents were signed on 14 December 2018, at Margao, registrar office. Fr. Lucio Dias, the Parish Priest of St. John the Baptist Church signed for the Fabrica, Fr. Joaquim Loiola Pereira, Secretary to the Archbishop of Goa signed on behalf of FABC by the power of attorney of the President of FABC His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias and Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara, the Deputy Secretary General signed on behalf of the CCBI.
Mr. Pascoal Noronha the architect from Goa was requested to prepare the renovation plan and he presented the plan to the members of the 81 Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI, 7 Jan, 2019 held at Chennai and the members of the house approved the renovation plan. The renovation of Shanti Sadan was completed in the month of December, 2019. The CCBI Office Bearers meeting held on 28 November, 2019, Pastoral Centre, Patna decided to inaugurate and bless Shanti Sadan on 6 January, 2020.
Shanti Sadan Administrator
The Office Bearers meeting held on 3 May, 2018, St. John’s National Institute of Health Sciences Bangalore decided to transfer the Executive Secretaries of the CCBI Commissions for Liturgy, Family, and Laity to Shanti Sadan, Goa. Rev. Dr. Ayres Fernandes was appointed as the first Administrator of Shanti Sadan on 1 December, 2018 and he shifted his office from CCBI Centre Bangalore to Shanti Sadan. The Deputy Secretary General was given additional responsibility as the Director of Shanti Sadan on 1 December, 2018. Family Commission Secretary Fr. Milton Gabriel Gonsalves joined the Shanti Sadan community on 30th November 2019. Due to various reasons Laity Commission Secretary did not join the Shanti Sadan Community.
Fr. Ayres Fernandes completed his office as the Executive Secretary to the CCBI for Liturgy and was relieved from his both offices: as the Executive Secretary to the Commission for Liturgy and the Administrator of Shanti Sadan on 1 October, 2020. The CCBI Office Bearers virtual meeting held on 18 June 2020 decided to appoint Rev. Fr. Duming Gonsalves, the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Catechetics as the new Administrator of Shanti Sadan. Rev. Fr. Duming Gonsalves took charge as the second Administrator of Shanti Sadan on 1 October, 2020. The Office Bearers also decided to appoint the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Liturgy Rev. Dr. Moncy Nellikunnel SDB as one of the community members of the Shanti Sadan. He also took charge in the office on 1 October, 2020.
Shanti Sadan Trust Registration
The CCBI Office Bearers virtual meeting held on 6 March 2021 was decided to register Shanti Sadan as an independent legal body. It was reported to the 86 Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI held on 14 and 15 May, 2021. The Administrator Rev. Fr. Duming was asked to start the process of registration of Shanti Sadan. Mr. Sunil R. J. Gonsalves, the chartered accountant drafted the Trust deed and after several revision the Office Bearers approved the deed and it was registered on 6 July 2021 at Margao. The new Shanti Sadan Trust opened the bank account on 17 September, 2021 and became separate legal entity.
Chairman
His Eminence Filipe Cardinal Ferrão
2019 -
Former Chairman
His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracious
2018 - 2019
Director
Rev. Dr. Stephen Alathara
2018 -
Former Director
His Eminence Filipe Cardinal Ferrão
2019 -
Administrator
Rev. Fr. Duming Gonsalves
2020 -
Former Administrator
Rev. Dr. Ayres Fernandes
2018 - 2020