A new book authored by Fr. Dr. Jolly Puthenpura, Administrator of Caritas India with the title: “Catholic Social Teachings & the Diakonia Ministry of the Church”, was released by His Eminence Baselios Cardinal Cleemis on 6^th February 2018 in the august gathering of all the Catholic Bishops of India who had gathered together for the Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India at St. John’s National Academy for Medical Sciences, Bangalore.

While releasing the book, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis remarked that this new book on the Catholic Social Teachings will help the Church personnel involved in the Social Apostolate of the Church to remain rooted and focused in the Social Doctrines of the Church in their mission of inclusive and integrated transformation of the society. He further stated that this book will continue to inspire the readers to appreciate the rich treasures of Catholic Social Teachings and practice these values aimed at the Common Good of all. As part of the Book release, the first copies of the new book were given to Most Rev. Abraham Viruthakulangara, Archbishop of Nagpur and to Most Rev. Elias Gonsalves, the Bishop of Amravati

The background to the publishing of this Book is a scientific research and academic study that the Author had recently completed successfully for his doctoral studies on the topic “Roles and Influence of Catholic Social Teachings on the Catholic NGOs of Maharashtra” from Maharashtra’s Amravati University.

This book orderly and systematically synthesizes the different Catholic Social Doctrines and Principles of the Church for the past 120 years.  It also gives an extensive insight into the origin of Diakonia ministry in the early Church, the Foundational Principles of Diakonia, the different organs which are mandated to actively promote Diakonia in the Church and 10 Paradigms for the Diakonia ministry in the context of the Church in India.

The book is published by St. Paul Publications, Mumbai and is available in all the outlets of St. Pauls’ in India.