CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NAGALAND (1973-1997) MANIPUR (1973-1980) 1
February 28, 2019
North East of India is fascinating corner of India. There are, of course, other places perhaps more captivating and even mesmerizing than the North East. However, just as one’s birthplace is incomparable with any other place, it was in the North East that I exercised the first years of my priesthood as a Salesian of Don Bosco (SDB) in India. Ordained in 1968 (Rome) I returned to India in 1971 and beganBeginnings of my ministry among the young people of the North East in Don Bosco Dibrugarh (Assam). I was hardly a year there when I was asked to go to Kohima, Nagaland’s capital, to serve as assistant parish priest among the Angami speaking sturdy, strong and loving friends at Christ King parish (1972-1973). That too did not last too long. In 1973 I was asked to be secretary to Fr. Abraham Alangimattathil (the future Bishop of Kohima-Imphal) in Dibrugarh. In the providence of God, I was asked to go and recruit some vocations from Ranchi area. It was at Bishop’s House Ranchi that I received a telegram informing me of the appointment of Fr. Abraham Alangimattathil as the first Bishop of Kohima-Imphal. When I returned to Dibrugarh I was drawn into organising along with Fr. Shenoy S.J. the Episcopal Ordination of the would-be new Bishop in Kohima.-Imphal. To make a long story short, the Episcopal Ordination took place at Don Bosco School ground in Kohima on 14 October 1973. The late supper on the ordination day at Little Flower School of the FMA, the fish curry that caused a havoc and the installation of the new Bishop in Imphal (Manipur) a few days later are part of history (to be continued).
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