Oswald Gracias
Encyclopedia
Oswald Gracias is a Goan Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He serves as Archbishop of Bombay
, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
on 14 October 2006, and was raised to the cardinalate
in 2007. In 2010, he was elected as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
(having been the vice-president from 2008).
(modern-day Mumbai) to Jervis and Aduzinda Gracias (a native of Orlim, Goa). He recognizes himself as a Goan Catholic
. He completed his school studies at St. Michael’s School in Mahim
and joined college at the Jesuit run 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.
, 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
.
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 also served as Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
(CBCI), and is currently the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishop in India(Latin rite)
announced that he would elevate Gracias and twenty-two other prelate
s 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 elected Secretary General FABC
Cardinal Oswald Gracias elected Secretary General FABC
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.
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He serves as Archbishop of Bombay
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in India. The archdiocese has been a metropolitan see since the time it was elevated by Pope Leo XIII on September 1, 1886. The ecclesiastical province of Bombay includes the suffragan dioceses of Nashik,...
, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on 14 October 2006, and was raised to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 2007. In 2010, he was elected as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India is the episcopal conference of the Catholic bishops of India. It was first convened in September 1944, in Madras . Currently the CBCI has 212 members and 38 honorary members, and is headquartered in New Delhi, the capital of India...
(having been the vice-president from 2008).
Early life and ordination
Gracias was born in BombayMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(modern-day Mumbai) to Jervis and Aduzinda Gracias (a native of Orlim, Goa). He recognizes himself as a Goan Catholic
Goan Catholics
The Goan Catholics are an ethno-religious community of Roman Catholics and their descendants from the state of Goa, located on the west coast of India. They are Konkani people and speak the Konkani language...
. He completed his school studies at St. Michael’s School in Mahim
Mahim
Mahim is a neighbourhood in Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station in Mahim area, on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line. In ancient times, the area was known as Maijim, Mejambu, Mahikawati....
and joined college at the Jesuit run St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. After a year, he entered the Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of St. Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
in Bombay, where he studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. Gracias was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Valerian Gracias
Valerian Gracias
Valerian Gracias was an Indian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Bombay from 1950 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1953 by Pope Pius XII.-Biography:Valerian Gracias was born in Karachi to José and Carlota Gracias...
(no relation) on 20 December 1970. From 1971 to 1976, he served as Chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
and secretary
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Bishop Joseph Rodericks
Joseph Rodericks
Joseph Robert Rodericks was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur, India.Ordained to the priesthood on March 24, 1958 for the Society of Jesus, Rodericks was appointed bishop on June 25, 1970 and was ordained bishop on January 9, 1971 resigning on June 9, 1996.-Notes:...
, SJ
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, of Jamshedpur.
Diocesan work
Gracias then furthered his studies at RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, attending the Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
from 1976 to 1982; he obtained a doctorate in canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
, a diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. Upon his return to Bombay, he was named chancellor, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the metropolitan tribunal
Ecclesiastical court
An ecclesiastical court is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states...
, and judicial vicar
Judicial vicar
In the Roman Catholic Church, a judicial vicar is an officer of the diocese who has ordinary power to judge cases in the diocesan ecclesiastical court...
. From 1982, he was the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Mumbai, and from 1988 he was the judicial vicar
Judicial vicar
In the Roman Catholic Church, a judicial vicar is an officer of the diocese who has ordinary power to judge cases in the diocesan ecclesiastical court...
for the Archdiocese. In 1991, Gracias was made archdiocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
. He also served as a visiting professor to the seminaries of Bombay, Poona, and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, as well as serving as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Canon Law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
Society of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Bishop and Archbishop
On 28 June 1997, Gracias was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Bombay and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Bladia by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following 16 September from Archbishop Ivan Dias, with Bishops Ferdinand Fonseca and Bosco Penha serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Gracias was later named Archbishop of Agra on 7 September 2000, and Archbishop of Bombay
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in India. The archdiocese has been a metropolitan see since the time it was elevated by Pope Leo XIII on September 1, 1886. The ecclesiastical province of Bombay includes the suffragan dioceses of Nashik,...
on 14 October 2006. He also served as Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India is the episcopal conference of the Catholic bishops of India. It was first convened in September 1944, in Madras . Currently the CBCI has 212 members and 38 honorary members, and is headquartered in New Delhi, the capital of India...
(CBCI), and is currently the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishop in India(Latin rite)
Cardinal
On 17 October 2007, Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
announced that he would elevate Gracias and twenty-two other prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
s to the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. At the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
in St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
on 24 November 2007, he was created Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
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
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, 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
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....
and, on 6 July 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...
.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias elected Secretary General FABC
Cardinal Oswald Gracias elected Secretary General FABC
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.