Over 70 Khammam Priests Urged to Lead a “Purity Revolution” and Defend the Sanctity of Life

KHAMMAM PRIESTS URGED TO STRENGTHEN PRO-LIFE AND FAMILY MINISTRY KHAMMAM — In response to mounting societal pressures on Catholic marriage and family life, over 70 priests of the Diocese of Khammam assembled at the Bishop’s House on September 30, 2026, for a day-long monthly recollection focused on renewing their pastoral mission The recollection centered on priestly identity, holy matrimony, and the Church’s stance on the inviolable sanctity of human life Keynote speaker Ajin Joseph, Associate Secretary of the CCBI Family Commission, challenged the clergy to embody Christ’s pastoral care and become courageous witnesses to the Gospel in families and society A Threefold Model for Pastoral Ministry Drawing from Christ’s commands to Saint Peter in John 21:15–19 “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep” Joseph presented a threefold framework for priestly service: nurturing the faithful, seeking out those who have strayed, and fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel To sustain this ministry, Joseph encouraged priests to deepen their spiritual practices through daily Eucharistic Adoration and the Liturgy of the Hours He further urged them to enrich their preaching by grounding homilies in Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and apologetics Addressing Contemporary Pressures on Marriage and Family In his second reflection, titled “Holy Family & Holy Marriages – The Root of All Vocations,” Joseph reaffirmed Catholic doctrine regarding the unitive and procreative purpose of marital union He outlined major ethical issues facing modern Catholic households, including abortion, artificial contraception, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), divorce, and pornography To counter these influences, Joseph called for renewed efforts to share magisterial teachings found in key Church documents—including Humanae Vitae, Evangelium Vitae, Familiaris Consortio, and Amoris Laetitia He urged clergy to inspire a "Purity and Chastity Revolution" among youth and couples Mobilizing for India's 6th March for Life Looking toward public witness, Joseph called on Khammam clergy to mobilize Catholic communities for the upcoming 6th March for Life in India The national event is set to be hosted by the Archdiocese of Hyderabad in collaboration with the Telugu Council of Catholic Bishops The day concluded with a unified call for priests to act as spiritual guides, supporting families with practical pastoral care, truth, and Christ-centered love