Hyderabad Archdiocese Awards Theology Diplomas to 20 Lay Faithful

Secunderabad, November 15, 2026: Twenty lay faithful received diplomas in theology from the Archdiocese of Hyderabad at a graduation ceremony held at St. Mary's Pharmacy College Auditorium, Secunderabad, on Saturday.

Cardinal Poola Anthony, Archbishop of Hyderabad, conferred the diplomas on the graduates of the fourth batch of the two-year Diploma in Theology programme.

Bishop Jaya Rao Polimera of Eluru attended the ceremony, congratulated the graduates and commended the Archdiocese for the initiative. Appreciating the programme's structure and academic scope, he expressed interest in introducing a similar course in his diocese.

The programme, approved by the Archdiocese, is conducted by St. John's Regional Seminary, Ramanthapur, in collaboration with Family of Faith (FoF), Hyderabad. Fr. Raju Alex coordinates the initiative as its convenor.

Launched in 2018, the programme offers systematic theological formation to lay people through weekly classes every Saturday. Its curriculum includes Sacred Scripture, Systematic Theology, Moral Theology, Church History, Canon Law, Liturgy, Spirituality and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Professors from St John's Regional Seminary serve as faculty.

Despite a two-year interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative continued its formation programme. The sixth batch, which began in July 2026, has enrolled 46 students.

Of the 21 candidates eligible for graduation, 20 successfully completed the course and received their diplomas. The ceremony was attended by seminary faculty, priests, guests, family members of the graduates and representatives of Family of Faith.

The initiative seeks to deepen the theological understanding of the lay faithful and equip them to participate more effectively in the Church's mission.

By Catholic Connect Reporter