St. John’s Seminary Trains Future Priests for Ecumenical Ministry

Hyderabad, September 11, 2026: Twenty-three fourth-year theology students at St John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad, underwent a week-long course on ecumenism aimed at preparing them for dialogue and pastoral engagement with Christians of other traditions.

Held from September 3 to 10, the programme sought to deepen the seminarians’ understanding of the Catholic Church’s commitment to Christian unity and equip them to promote dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation in their future ministry.

Fr Anthaiah Kondaveeti, Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Ecumenism, served as the resource person. The sessions examined the historical divisions within Christianity, the emergence of the modern ecumenical movement and the Catholic Church’s teaching on Christian unity.

Key Church documents studied during the course included the Second Vatican Council’s Unitatis Redintegratio, St Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ut Unum Sint and the Vademecum on Ecumenism for Bishops and Other Pastors, along with other Church teachings on ecumenical engagement.

The students were also introduced to the diversity of Christian Churches and ecclesial communities in Hyderabad. Discussions emphasised the importance of developing respectful and collaborative relationships with other Churches and their pastors, with particular focus on the call to “pray together, walk together and work together.”

Pastor Giri Babu of the Good Shepherd Church of India shared his experiences of ecumenical engagement and reflected on the need for greater Christian unity in the contemporary context. His presentation offered the seminarians practical insights into the opportunities and challenges involved in fostering cooperation among Christians.

The programme included field visits on September 10 to six Christian communities in Hyderabad: the Good Shepherd Church of India, Marthoma Church, Malankara Orthodox Church, CSI Wesley Church, Centenary Baptist Church and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

During the visits, the seminarians interacted with pastors and Church leaders, learned about their respective traditions and ministries, and discussed questions concerning Christian faith and practice. The encounters gave them first-hand exposure to the diversity of Christian communities and the practical dimensions of ecumenical ministry.

Bishop Josh Lawrence D’Souza of the Good Shepherd Church of India also interacted with the seminarians and encouraged them in their commitment to promoting Christian unity.

The programme placed renewed emphasis on the role of future priests as builders of bridges, promoters of dialogue and instruments of reconciliation. The organisers expressed gratitude to the rector and staff of St John’s Regional Seminary, as well as the pastors and Church leaders who contributed to the programme and welcomed the seminarians.

By Catholic Connect Reporter