ASIA/INDIA - Catholics in Aizawl celebrate centenary of the first local baptism and community: it was the Salvatorian Fathers who first planted the seed of the Gospel among these peoples

Shillong (Fides Service) - Exactly one hundred years ago a small group of missionaries went to a remote area of Assam state in north east India to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the local people. “It was the Salvatorians, who planted the seed of the Gospel in this part of India, followed by the Salesians”, the Bishop of Aizawl in Assam state, Bishop Stephen Rotluanga, told Fides with regard to celebrations for the centenary of the local Catholic community. Congratulatory messages for the centenary celebrations were received from Christians of other denominations in the area.
“Looking back with gratitude at the last hundred years, our local Church should be encouraged and inspired to become ever more aware of the truth of our faith and to undertake to share it through dialogue with non Christians”, the Bishop said thanking the Salvatorian and Salesian missionaries for their service to the local people and the Catholic community.
For the centenary occasion the Bishop went to Pynthor-Umkharah parish in the village of Mawkasiang, 11 km from the state capital Shillong, to bless a new statue of Don Bosco erected in the parish compound. He took the opportunity to praise the parish youth choir for a beautiful audio-cassette produced under the direction of Salesian Father Barnes Mawrie.
It was Salvatorian Father Stanislaus Weber who in 1904 baptised the first Catholic in this area, a boy of 25. The Salvatorians had been on mission in this part of Assam since 1890. Later the Salesians came to help with the work of evangelisation and promotion of the local people, particularly in youth pastoral and mediating to solve ethnic disputes among the various tribes of people.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/3/2004 lines 27 words 287)