New church women’s commission secretary : Sr. Lilly Francis

Mangalore Today News Network

Bangaluru, May 31, 2017:   Sr. Lilly Francis (68) from the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (SMMI) Nagpur Province was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Women, earlier this month.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India or CCBI, is the national Episcopal conference of the bishops of the Latin rite of the Catholic church in India.

Sr Lily is a registered lawyer in Nagpur, with L. L. B and holds a post-graduation in Social work (MSW). She studied two years theology course in Santiago University, Chile. She pioneered in establishing ‘Vishwodaya’ Institute of Social Work and Women Development in Nagpur and served as its founding Director for 11 years. She worked as a community organizer in Latin America for a period of three years. She was the Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Women from 2004 to 2011 and became the principal instrument in bringing out the Gender Policy of the CBCI.

She is the author of 7 books and was the editor of the ‘Magnificat’ a magazine for women empowerment. She received “Single Women’s Achievement Award” from Nagpur Municipal Corporation for her contributions to various women empowerment programmes. She is well known for her lectures and seminars in the field of women and family empowerment, according to official church sources.