On 20 February 2008 Gracias was elected 1st vice president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) of which had earlier served as secretary general.
On 18 September 2008 in Washington, D.C., Gracias underwent surgery for a rare form of cancer.[7] He recovered completely.[8]
Gracias was elected secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) by the presidents of its 19 constituent bishops conferences representing 28 Asian countries. He led the organization from 2010 to 2019.[9][a]
Both in Agra and Mumbai Gracias endorsed teaching the discipline of yoga in Catholic schools. In 2012 he wrote: "Through the prescribed postures and exercises one improves one's all round sense of well being and is able to enter into oneself so as to commune better with God."[14][b]
On 13 April 2013 he was appointed to the Council of Cardinal Advisers, a group established by Pope Francis to advise him and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia.[17]
Gracias was elected to a two-year term as president of the CBCI on 9 February 2018.
On 6 December 2019, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples notified Gracias that Pope Francis wants Gracias to remain Archbishop. Gracias had submitted his resignation as required in anticipation of his 75th birthday.[18] On 17 February 2020, Gracias was elected to a second two-year term as president of the CBCI.
On 15 October 2020, Pope Francis renewed Gracias's term on the Council of Cardinal Advisers.[19]
Views and theology
Humanae Vitae
Gracias delivered an address to priests in 2018 to commemorate Pope Paul VI's papal encyclicalHumanae Vitae. In his address, Gracias affirmed that the Church "stands unwavering and firm in her decision to embrace and uphold life as well as embrace, nurture, defend and uplift the gift of life, every life". The cardinal referred to the encyclical as "a great gift to the Church" because it was able to set out how the Church views marriage and family life, however, the cardinal noted that the encyclical was also a reminder about the need to "invest more in marriage preparation, prepare couples for marriage and enrich the marriages of those already married".[20]
Married clergy
Cardinal Gracias has suggested that the pathway to married priests is still an open possibility; during the 2019 Synod of Bishops the cardinal suggested in his intervention that following present canon law could present possibilities for married men to be ordained to the priesthood, mentioning that special dispensations could be granted.[21]
Abortion
In February 2020, Gracias stated that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception", pointing out that "the Church has been unwavering in its protection of the sanctity of human life, from conception until natural death". In his address given to the 32nd plenary session of the Indian Episcopal Conference in Bangalore, Gracias condemned India's new abortion bill that would extend the period to end a pregnancy to 24 weeks, declaring that "bishops have the responsibility to spread Christ's message about the dignity of all human life".[22]
Euthanasia
In March 2011, Gracias expressed his relief at the Indian Supreme Court's decision to reject the plea for the mercy killing of a nurse who was in a semi-comatose condition for over three decades. In remarks given to the Catholic News Service, the cardinal expressed his relief that the court rejected the plea, stating that "allowing one to die amounts to actively supporting taking away one's life".[23]
Gallery
Gracias at St. Peter's Church, Bandra – incensing the Blessed Sacrament during Benediction
Washing of the feet: symbolises a commitment to service; Letter M: Represents devotion to Mary; Scales of Justice: Church Law. His field of specialisation; Hand shake: stands for reconciliation and building bridges of communion
Notes
^The Federation coordinates the work of the Church in these countries and represents Asian interests to the Vatican and government authorities. The Central Secretariat located in Hong Kong is the principal service agency of FABC, and an instrument of co-ordination both within FABC and with outside offices and agencies throughout Asia.[10]
^The openness to yoga on the part of Catholic institutions is controversial in some quarters, but it has a long history. Cardinal Valerian Gracias supported the practice.[15]
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