Second Goan origin Cardinal in the 21st century after Cardinal. Ivan Dias.

His Eminence Dom. Oswald Cardinal Gracias (born 24th December, 1944) was ordained a Priest on 20th December, 1970 and ordinated as Bishop on the 16th of September, 1997. He is the Archbishop of Bombay, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on 14th October, 2006 and raised to the cardinalate in 2007. In 2010, he was elected as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (having been the vice-president from 2008).Cardinal Gracias is also Secretary General of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference. On 13 April 2013 he was appointed among the group of eight cardinals established by Pope Francis, exactly a month after his election, to advise him and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, 'Pastor Bonus'.  

Early Life and Ordination Cardinal Gracias was born in Bombay on the 24th of December, 1944 to Jervis and Aduzinda Gracias. He completed his schooling at St. Michael's School in Mahim and joined the Jesuit run St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. After a year, he entered the Seminary of St. Pius X in Bombay, where he studied philosophy and theology. Gracias was ordained to the priesthood by Valerian Cardinal Gracias, the then Archbishop of Bombay on 20th December, 1970. From 1971 to 1976, he served as Chancellor and Secretary to Bishop Joseph Rodericks, SJ, of Jamshedpur.  

Work at the Diocesan Level Cardinal Gracias then furthered his studies at Rome, attending the Pontifical Urbaniana University from 1976 to 1982; he obtained a doctorate in canon law, and a diploma in jurisprudence. Upon his return to Bombay, he was named Chancellor, Judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal, and Judicial Vicar. From 1982, he was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bombay, and from 1988 he was the Judicial Vicar for the Archdiocese, a visiting professor to the seminaries of Bombay, Poona, and Bangalore, as well as serving as President of the Canon Law Society of India.  

Bishop and Archbishop On 28 June 1997, Gracias was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay and Titular Bishop of Bladia by Pope John Paul II. He received his Episcopal consecration on 16th September, 1997 from Archbishop Ivan Dias, with Bishops Ferdinand Fonseca and Bosco Penha serving as co-consecrators. Gracias was later named Archbishop of Agra on 7th September, 2000 and Archbishop of Bombay on 14th October, 2006. He also served as Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), and is currently the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in India (Latin rite).  

Cardinal On 17th October 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would elevate Gracias and twenty-two other prelates to the College of Cardinals. At the consistory in St. Peter's Basilica on 24th November 2007, Oswald Gracias was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Paolo della Croce a "Corviale". On 20th February 2008, Cardinal Gracias was elected 1st Vice President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) of which he had earlier served as Secretary General. Like all cardinals, Gracias is a member of various offices of the Roman Curia, and is invited to attend their plenary meetings, which in principle are held every year. Appointments are for five years and are renewable. In May 2008, Pope Benedict named him a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and, on 6th July 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  

Cardinal Oswald Gracias Elected Secretary General FABC Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India was elected FABC Secretary General by the Presidents of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. The FABC is an apex body representing 19 Bishop's Conferences comprising 28 of their Asian member countries like the other Bishops' Conferences of South America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. The Federation coordinates the work of the Church in these countries and represents Asia before the Vatican and Government authorities. The Central Secretariat is located in Hong Kong and is the principal service agency of FABC, and an instrument of co-ordination both within FABC and with outside offices and agencies in countries all through Asia.   

The Coat of Arms The coat of arms was designed and adopted when Cardinal Gracias was appointed as the Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay.    Escutcheon Washing of the feet, Letter M, Scales of Justice and Handshake   Motto To Reconcile All Things in Christ  

Symbolism Washing of the feet: symbolizes a commitment to service; Letter M: Represents devotion to Mary; Scales of Justice: Church Law– his field of specialization; Handshake: stands for reconciliation and building bridges of communion.