News & Events
National Youth Sunday: Give up drug addiction, Arunachal Bishop tells the NE Youth
Celebrating the National Youth Sunday with the rest of India, Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese, Arunachal Pradesh appealed to the youth of North East India to give up drug addiction to create a better society and Church, on 9 August 2020 at Sacred Heart Parish Church, Neotan. Recalling the theme of National Youth Sunday 2020, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise’ (Lk7: 14), Bishop George, who is also the Chairman Bishop of the North East Regional Youth Commission (NERYC), said, “Our youth in most parts of the North East Region, need to rise above their addictions to drug, for they live as though they are dead. Highlighting the direct implications of drug addiction to the society and to the Church, the NERYC Chairman said as long as the youth fail to rise above their addictions, the Church will suffer. “Drug addiction among the youth weakens not only the society but also the Cburch. No girl wants to marry a drug addict, which leads the girls to find their life partners outside the Church”, he said. In the context of Covid-19, the subdued celebration of the Youth Sunday of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India had mostly online events this year, like Bible Quiz and Drawing and Singing. The NERYC had conducted online singing, dancing and photography competitions to mark the National Youth Sunday and the winners of each category were declared today by the Chairman Bishop. Miss Annette Larchangsha Ngoruw of Imphal Archdiocese, Manipur won the first prize in solo dance competition. Mr. Adiousbai Passah of Jowai Diocese and Mr. Phoging Pansa of Miao Diocese were declared winners of the online singing and photography competitions,...
read moreOverwhelming Youth Response to the Online ‘North East Got Talent’
The youth of North East India gave an overwhelming response to the week-long ‘North East Got Talent’ online competition organized by North East Regional Youth Council (NERYC). The Regional Youth wing of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in India, NERYC organised competitions on three different categories in view of the upcoming National Youth Sunday and to keep the youth engaged during these lockdown times. The participation of more than 300 catholic youth in the competitions on photography, singing and dancing from 1 to 7 July was a pleasant surprise the organizers. “I am deeply thrilled to see such huge participation in the competitions from the 15 dioceses of the region”, said Miss Hittery Rebecca, the chief organizer and the National Treasurer of Indian Catholic Youth Movement. “The participation of youth in large numbers is an expression the huge pool of talent available in the region”. A total of 111 youth participated in the online singing competition, 38 youth in dancing and 158 youth took part in the photography competition on theme ‘Prayer and Nature’ from the seven states of the region. Expressing joy at the number of participants, Bishop George Pallipparambil, the NERYC Chairman, said North East India is a mountain of talent and it is good that the organizers gave the youth a platform to discover their hidden talents during this covid lockdown times. “I am sure these talents will keep our youth engaged and hopeful for better days ahead and give hope to others”, he said. Sister Bernadeth Kropi, the Director of NERYC too expressed happiness and said, “I feel happy to witness many energetic, creative and aesthetic young minds so unique in themselves, coming together though this digital competition”. Congratulating the youth, Father John Albert Ryntathiang, the Diocesan Youth Directors’ Representative of NERYC, said, “Because of the talents of our young people our social media pages are now filled with lovely devotional dances, inspirational songs and captivating photos”. The selected panel of judges is going through the entries. The names of the winners of will be declared on 9 August, the National Youth...
read moreCatholic Hospital in Assam sealed after 12 Nuns test positive for Covid-19
The local administration of Dibrugarh district in Assam has sealed St. Vincenza Gerosa (VG) Hospital after 12 Nuns including a Doctor and a domestic support tested positive for Covid-19 on 4 July 2020. The superior of the VG hospital community with travel history to Guwahati tested positive on 3July after she showed mild symptoms of fever and a bad stomach. This led to the testing of all inmates of the community and now 12 Sisters including a domestic support have tested positive for the corona virus. Four others have tested negative and the entire hospital area is now declared a contaminated zone. Samples of all other inmates, staff, primary contacts and regular visitors are being collected and sent for testing at Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh. Expressing shock, Bishop Joseph Aind sdb of Dibrugarh Diocese said, “It is sad that the lifeline hospital of people in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh has now been sealed. My heart goes out to all the Sisters and the inmates of VG Hospital and I invite everyone to pray for their quick recovery from the disease and for the reopening of the hospital”. Assam, the worst affected north eastern state, recorded the highest single day spike of 1202 cases on 5 July. As of today, Assam has 11001 confirmed cases with 6743 recovered cases and 4241 active cases and with 14 deaths. In a note to the people in his Diocese, Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese in Arunachal Pradesh has asked them to pray for the sisters and advised everyone to be extra careful and comply with the existing lockdown restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. Established in the year 1970 with the goal of rendering health services to the poor people of the locality and to help people get rid of alcohol and drug addiction, VG Hospital is now a 70 bedded general hospital with full fledged psychiatric unit. The hospital with its General Nursing and Midwifery unit is managed by the Sisters of the Charity of Saints Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa or simply called Charity Sisters or Bambina...
read moreLaudato Si’ Week – Be a friend to the earth not master says Arunachal Bishop
The year 2020 marks fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment: Laudato Si’ (Praise Be), subtitled ‘On Care for our Common Home’, addressed not just to the Catholic Church, but to the whole of humanity as we face the global climate emergency. To mark this event, the Holy Father has invited the whole world to celebrate 16 – 24 May 2020 as Laudato Si’ Week, especially in the context of Covid-19, a pandemic that could be best described as manmade disaster due to his selfishness and disregard for our common home, Mother Earth. Participating in the this weeklong celebration, Bishop George Pallipparambil sdb of Miao Diocese in Arunachal Pradesh reminded the people to be friend to the mother earth and not master. In the open-air holy mass he officiated at the Little Flower Convent in Neotan village of Changlang district, on 22 May, which is also celebrated as Biodiversity Day, Bishop George highlighted the importance of caring for nature and environment now more than ever. “The corona virus pandemic has taught us that we are not the master but the earth is the master” he said. Reflecting on the creation story of the Bible, Bishop George said, “After the creation, God asked man to subdue the earth and not subjugate the creation. This global disease followed by the worldwide lockdown is not only a time for us to reflect our interconnectedness with the creation but also a time for the earth to heal itself of the damage we have caused”. The 20 odd people gathered for the celebration expressed happiness at being part of the global celebration in a small way in their own village to become aware of the interconnectedness with the creation. “We thank our Bishop for involving us in the Laudato Si’ week celebrations and for encouraging us to build a better world together”, said Mrs. Likro Mossang, the Women President of Miao Diocese. The faithful presented saplings together with bread and wine at the offertory procession. “Our small effort today here in our village, we hope, will inspire someone in some part of the world to be more caring and to be friend with the Mother Earth”, said Kamjan Mossang, incharge of the local quarantine facility centre in the village. The celebration concluded with planting saplings around the campus of the Carmelite Missionary Nuns in the...
read moreHappy Birthday Bishop
The 66th Birthday of Most Rev. George Pallipparambil, the Bishop of Miao Miao Diocese was celebrated quite low-key due to the lockdown. May God bless our Bishop with many years of good health and a long life. Happy Birthday,...
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