Northern bishops launch Hindi Bible quiz program

Students have to register before July 31 for the diocesan level exams, which will be conducted this year on Sept. 27.

New Delhi:  Catholic bishops in northern India have taken steps to launch an annual Bible quiz among young people to encourage them to learn the Bible and deepen their faith.

“Veneration of the Holy Bible and deepening the knowledge of the Holy Bible is the need of the hour," said Bishop Ignatius D’Souza of Bareilly, chairman of Agra Regional Bible Institute, while opening a one-day seminar in New Delhi Wednesday.

The Agra Regional Bible Institute in association with representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Bihar regions attended the seminar discussing ways to spread the knowledge of Bible among young Catholics in the region.

The meeting unanimously agreed to follow the successful model popular Logos Bible Quiz among Kerala dioceses. They agreed to stat a Hindu version of it in collaboration with Kerala Bishops' Commission for Bible this year in as many dioceses as possible in northern India.

A three-member core committee of Father Babu Chirayath, director, Agra Regional Bible Institute, Father Philip Kattakayam from Bihar region and Father Shinil from northern region was entrusted with the task of coordinating the Quiz program.

Students have to register before July 31 for the diocesan level exams, which will be conducted this year on Sept. 27. The toppers at the diocesan level will be invited for the national level exam in Delhi if they qualify for it with a minimum of 80% of marks.

The annual exams will be held in Delhi on Nov. 29 and national level toppers at all six categories will be given a prize of 10,000 rupees each besides consolation prizes of 2,500 and 1,000 rupees to the second and third runner ups.

END