150 Mumbai Priests Introduced to The Chosen During Annual Clergy Recollection

Mumbai, July 12, 2026: More than 150 priests of the Archdiocese of Mumbai were introduced to The Chosen, the internationally acclaimed television series on the life of Jesus, during their annual clergy recollection held at St. Pius X College, Goregaon East, on July 9.

The session was organised at the invitation of Archbishop John Rodrigues and Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Fernandes as part of the clergy's ongoing spiritual formation. It featured a presentation by Ashish Nag, Asia Lead for The Chosen, who highlighted the growing use of Chosen Encounter sessions in parishes, dioceses, educational institutions and other pastoral settings across India.

During the programme, the priests viewed a moving scene portraying Jesus healing the woman suffering from a haemorrhage. The screening was followed by a period of prayerful reflection and an interactive discussion on the pastoral value of visual storytelling in evangelisation and faith formation.

The question-and-answer session focused on how Chosen Encounter sessions could be integrated into parish ministries and catechetical programmes to deepen the faithful's understanding of the Gospel and foster a personal encounter with Christ.

Nag also shared plans for the nationwide theatrical release of The Chosen: Crucifixion in March 2027 through PVR cinemas, describing it as an opportunity to bring the story of Christ's Passion to a wider audience and inspire renewed faith.

Archbishop Rodrigues, Bishop Fernandes and the participating clergy welcomed the initiative and expressed their appreciation for the series' contribution to evangelisation. They also affirmed their support for The Chosen and its mission of communicating the Gospel through contemporary visual media.

The recollection marked another milestone in the collaboration between The Chosen India and the Archdiocese of Mumbai, with discussions underway to introduce Chosen Encounter sessions across parishes and pastoral communities in the archdiocese as a resource for ongoing faith formation and missionary outreach.

By Catholic Connect Reporter