The Vatican announced the renomination of Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, to the Council of Cardinals advising the Holy Father for the reform of the Roman Curia and governance of the Universal Church on Thursday, October 15, 2020.
The Prelate in line with his appointment will be advising Pope Francis on the governance of the universal church and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, Pastor Bonus.” Among other critical and paramount roles.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias has also been re-nominated by the Holy Father to be Member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the highest body in the Church on matters regarding Canon Law. This body suggests amendments and other changes in Canon Law to the Holy Father, and is entrusted with the responsibility of giving authentic interpretations on the Code of Canon Law.
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Gracias was born in Bombay (modern-day Mumbai) to Jervis and Aduzinda Gracias (a native of Orlim, Goa). He recognises himself as a Goan Catholic. He completed his school studies at St. Michael’s School in Mahim and joined college at the Jesuit St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. After a year, he entered the Seminary of St. Pius X in Bombay, where he studied philosophy and theology. Gracias was ordained to the priesthood by Valerian Gracias (no relation) on 20 December 1970. From 1971 to 1976, he served as Chancellor and secretary to Bishop Joseph Rodericks, SJ, of Jamshedpur.
DIOCESAN WORK
Gracias then furthered his studies at Rome, attending the Pontifical Urbaniana University from 1976 to 1982; he obtained a doctorate in canon law, a diploma in jurisprudence. Upon his return to Bombay, he was named chancellor, judge of the metropolitan tribunal, and judicial vicar. From 1982, he was the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Mumbai, and from 1988 he was the judicial vicar for the Archdiocese. In 1991, Gracias was made archdiocesan consultor. He also served as a visiting professor to the seminaries of Bombay, Poona, and Bangalore, as well as serving as President of the Canon Law Society of India.
BISHOP AND ARCHBISHOP
On 28 June 1997, Gracias was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay and Titular Bishop of Bladia by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 16 September from Archbishop Ivan Dias, with Bishops Ferdinand Fonseca and Bosco Penha serving as co-consecrators. Gracias was later named Archbishop of Agra on 7 September 2000, and Archbishop of Bombay on 14 October 2006. He served as Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), and is the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishop in India (Latin rite).
CARDINAL
On 17 October 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would elevate Gracias and twenty-two other prelates to the College of Cardinals. At the consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica on 24 November 2007, he was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Paolo della Croce a “Corviale”.
On 20 February 2008 Cardinal Gracias was elected 1st Vice President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India(CBCI) of which had earlier served as Secretary General.
Like all cardinals, Gracias is a member of various offices of the Roman Curia, and is invited to attend their plenary meetings, which in principle are held every year. Appointments are for five years and are renewable. In May 2008 Pope Benedict named him a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and, on 6 July 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India was elected FABC Secretary General by the presidents of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. The FABC is an apex body representing 19 Bishop’s Conferences comprising 28 of their Asian member countries like the other Bishops’ Conferences of South America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. The Federation coordinates the work of the Church in these countries and represents Asia before the Vatican and Government authorities. The Central Secretariat is located in Hong Kong and is the principal service agency of FABC, and an instrument of co-ordination both within FABC and with outside offices and agencies in countries all through Asia.
On 29 December 2011 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications for a five-year renewable term. On 12 June 2012 Cardinal Gracias was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
On Tuesday, 18 September 2012, Cardinal Gracias was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as one of the papally-appointed Synod Fathers for the October 2012 Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.
He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis.
On 13 April 2013 he was appointed to a group cardinals established by Pope Francis, exactly a month after his election to advise him and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, ‘Pastor Bonus’. The other cardinals are Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Vatican City State governorate; Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa from Chile; Reinhard Marx from Germany; Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; George Pell from Australia; and Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga from Honduras. Bishop Marcello Semeraro, will act as secretary for the group. The group’s first meeting has been scheduled for 1–3 October 2013. His Holiness is, however, in contact with the aforementioned cardinals. (Credit- peoplepill.com)
Source: Agnus-Dei Media