New Delhi: Top Bishops will huddle in Bangalore next week to discuss ways to raise funds for running Catholic church-owned schools and hospitals in the country in
the wake of resource crunch due to dwindling foreign donations.
The religious leaders will take a "realistic look" on the situation faced by the Church at the 30th general body meeting of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) to be held from February 1 to 8.
Held once in two years, the deliberations will be attended by over 160 Bishops, including CBCI president Bombay Archbishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who will formulate policies and strategies to augment its efforts to raise
finances.
The theme for this year's meeting is 'The Church's Role for a Better India'.
"We will have a realistic look at the situation. We need to raise finances to run the schools and medical facilities in rural areas, which are facing financial problems. The foreign contribution has also declined over the years.
"We need to start looking at alternate sources to maintain our infrastructure. We will also give a new thrust to have more collaboration with the government and help them in schemes like NRHM," CBCI spokesperson Fr Babu Jospeh told
a news agency.
Joseph said the Church was finding it a "bit difficult" to make available all requisite resources for its schools and hospitals in rural areas due to capital expenditure.
"We don't have that capital to acquire modern medical equipment," he said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 29, 2012, 12:16