Samir Stephen Lahiri –
Krishnagar: Last week, a profound question was posed at the 87th Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting: “Can we be Christian without the Word of God?” This central theme resonated through the proceedings held at the Sanjiboni Pastoral Centre, Krishnagar in West Bengal, guiding reflections on faith, community, and modern challenges.
The gathering featured a insightful session on the Basic Ecclesiastical Community (now universally baptized a BEC as a common acronym) led by Fr. Paneer Salvam, Parish Priest of Baroipur. He elucidated the concept, explaining its evolution from a Basic Christian Community (BCC) or Small Christian Community (SCC) to a broader Basic Human Community (BHC). At its core, Fr. Salvam emphasized the indispensable role of Scripture in daily life. He observed that while modern life is consumed by professional pursuits, material goods, and temporal fame, the nourishment of the spiritual life is often neglected.
“The BEC movement strengthens our relationship with the Lord and deepens our faith,” Fr. Salvam stated. “It is a call for the entire family, not just women, to build a vibrant domestic church.”
Drawing a powerful parallel from the Gospel of Luke (24:13-29), he described the encounter of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. “In the presence of the Risen Lord, their hearts burned within them,” he said. “An ‘Emmaus experience’ represents the renewal of our faith—a burning heart ignited by a profound encounter with Christ through His Word.”
Fr. Salvam also addressed a significant contemporary obstacle to this encounter: the misuse of technology. He cautioned that the pervasive use of mobile phones not only distracts from worship but has also severely impacted mutual relationships and love within the family unit. “The evil one is active, constantly devising ways to pull us from the path to God,” he warned, concluding on a hopeful note: “We are all pilgrims of Hope, journeying towards the ultimate goal of eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Providing an overview of the movement’s reach, Fr. Arul Rozario, the BEC Coordinator for Krishnanagar Diocese, reported that there are currently 532 active BEC units across all parishes. These units are strategically organized under the guidance of priests across four zones: Northern, Southern, Central, and Murshidabad. “The primary objective of this grassroots movement,” Fr. Rozario added, “is to awaken the laity and deepen their faith through sustained engagement with the Bible.”
The meeting culminated with an address by Bishop Nirmol Vincent Gomes, who underscored the critical importance of the BEC movement for spiritual development. “If we wish to nurture our spirituality and address our deeper needs, the BEC movement plays a vital role,” Bishop Gomes affirmed. “Our family is our main centre, our domestic church. It is the foundational platform for everything we do in faith.”
The Krishnanagar Diocese convenes this council thrice yearly, in January, May, and October, bringing together priests, heads of congregations, institutions, and lay associations to deliberate on the pastoral life of the diocese.
According to the most recent data from official Church sources, including the 2024 Pontifical Yearbook, the Diocese of Krishnagar serves a vibrant Catholic community of approximately 39,700 faithful, a testament to its mission within a vast general population of over 15 million in the districts of Nadia and Murshidabad. This pastoral care is facilitated by an estimated 81 priests—comprising 62 diocesan and 19 religious priests—and supported in its extensive educational and social outreach by nearly 195 religious sisters. While precise, real-time contribution of these members including deacons and seminarians are dynamic, this structural framework underscores the diocese’s significant commitment to nurturing its faith community and serving the wider society from the grassroots level. Given that Catholics represent less than 0.3% of the total population in its territory, the diocese places a strong emphasis on evangelization, education (running schools), and social service as a core part of its mission, much of which is carried out by the dedicated work of the priests and nuns.