Media Release
Bengaluru, Feb 22: A national seminar on ‘Contemporary challenges to the Indian Constitution’ was organised by the archdiocese of Bengaluru Catholic lawyers in association with St Joseph’s Law College on Saturday, February 22.
The national seminar was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Bengaluru Dr Peter Machado in the presence of the Provincial of Karnataka Jesuits Fr Dr Jerome Stanislaus D’Souza SJ, Fr Devadass, the administrator of Legal department of the Archdiocese of Bengaluru and Anil Albert D’Souza, coordinator in charge of the Bengaluru Archdiocesan Catholic Lawyers.
This was followed by a brief introduction of St Joseph’s Law College by senior faculty Prof Jerome Nirmalraj. The prayer song was led by the illustrious choir of St Joseph’s Law College.
Anil D’Souza welcomed all the Catholic lawyers for the national seminar.
Thereafter the archbishop of Bengaluru delivered the inaugural address and stressed upon the importance of the Indian Constitution by asking lawyers to uphold the spirit and love of the Constitution.
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The Provincial of Karnataka Jesuits Fr Dr Stanislaus D’Souza SJ delivered the keynote address and suggested lawyers to also keep a copy of the Indian Constitution with them along with other law books so that we are constitutionally strong.
The vote of thanks was delivered by advocate Cyril Prabhu who thanked all the dignatories and all who contributed for the success of the national seminar.
The national seminar began thereafter with a very popular activist, lawyer and academician Prof Babu Mathew who highlighted the challenges of the Indian Constitution that lawyers have to fact in the future. And further he relied upon how Catholic Lawyers can be more constitutionally oriented in the future too.
The second session of the national seminar was conducted by another powerful activist and advocate Clifton D’Rosario who attracted the audience by giving research oriented information about CAA and its developments along with Constitutional Amendments. He further spoke about the future course of action relating to CAA.
The third session of the national seminar was smoothly conducted by Fr Francis Guntipilly SJ, secretary of the Karnataka Regional Commission for Labour who divided the audience into three groups for discussion as to what Catholic Lawyers should do in the future along with action plans.
The main points that were culminated during these group discussions were as follows:
1. Need for an Association of Catholic Lawyers for the archdiocese of Bengaluru.
2. Need for a Legal Aid Cell in each Parish of the archdiocese of Bengaluru.
3. Catholic Law Career Placement to be established.
4. Legal Aid to the Poor
5. Promotion of Catholic Law Academicians who want to pursue Higher Legal Education.
6. Organization of more Law Seminars of general interest.
7. Recognizing Catholic lawyers who are in specialized fields of practice and study.
The programme then proceeded with an input given by advocate Robin Christopher who spoke about Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and how the church in India is benefitting from this organization who delivers justice.
Anil Albert D’Souza, advocate, then gave few insights about the proposed meeting of the core committee of Catholic lawyers to be held in March 2020 and informed them about the WhatsApp group functioning of Catholic Lawyers in Bengaluru archdiocese.
Patrick D’Souza, senior advocate, spoke about the establishment of the forum of Christian advocates in Bengaluru which was started earlier in the Archdiocese of Bengaluru and how a new association of Catholic lawyers can be formed now.
Fr Vivian Monis of the archdiocese of Bengaluru said the prayer before meals.
The national seminar concluded with sumptuous lunch.