Inaugural Mass & Lectio Brevis 2026-27

8 Sep, 2026

This academic year has the distinction of being the centenary of the empowering of the Pontifical Athenaeum to grant degrees of Licentiate and Doctorate. The inauguration of the academic year also served as the occasion for the unveiling of the emblem and the theme (“Jnana Deepotsava: A Century of Igniting Hearts and Minds”) for the centenary year.

The Mass of the Holy Spirit was chosen for the inaugural Eucharistic celebration. Cardinal Antony Poola, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), was the main celebrant. Bishop Simon Almeida, the new bishop of the diocese of Poona and the administrative officials of JD were the concelebrants. The lectio brevis was followed by the (digital) unveiling of the Centenary Logo by the cardinal and it was delivered by Bp. Simon Almeida. The final event was a video presentation marking the official release of all the books published by the faculty of JD.