News & Events

Inaugurations in the OFM Foundation in North East India

A Delightfully Impressive Experience! This is how I wish to recall our journey to our friaries in the Foundation of St. Francis of Assisi. The journey began in the early hours on 3 December 2021. Brs. Nathaniel and Shanborlang, the missionaries in the Karbi Anglong received us, Brs. Alphonse Moras, Tony D’ Souza, Praveen D’ Souza, Gopu Rajasekhar and I at the airport and drove us to St. Anthony’s Friary, Guwahati.

The house was already buzzing with excitement for the Blessing and Inauguration of the new Senior Secondary Block of St. Anthony’s School. The friars of the house were busy getting things ready. However, they left no stones unturned in welcoming and making us feel at home. A few friars had already arrived and a few more arrived during the day for the occasion. The young aspirants woke up the still-left-youthfulness in many friars and had an interesting game of football in the evening! Friars came together just before the evening prayer to bless the Solar Panels installed in the friary.

4 December dawned early for us at 4.30 AM. Friars drove in two vehicles to Salbari. As we entered the lush green campus of St. Clare’s Friary, the young aspirants were eagerly waiting to welcome us with a song and dance. The Christmas Celebration in St. Clare’s School was a visual treat as the students performed various cultural programmes. Kudos to the friars, principal, staff and the students for their wonderful programme! Br. Gopu Rajasekhar, the Project Secretary, blessed and inaugurated a Tailoring Centre for the parish women. Br. Phyrnai, the Team Leader in Salbari invited the guest friars to award the children with the scholarship amount.

In the evening, we proceeded to Sawpara, a village under St. Clare’s Parish. The faithful of the village gave us a warm traditional welcome. Later, the young and old burst into dance and made sure that no friar was left out of the dancing circle. All joined dancing to the melodious tunes! Br. Praveen then blessed and inaugurated the renovated Village Chapel after which we celebrated the Eucharist. We appreciate Br. Francis Arockiasamy, the Parish priest and the friars of the community for their missionary endeavours.

The busy day with a number of programmes came to an end with another cultural programme. Our own young aspirants entertained us with their solo and group performances, dances and songs, skit and speech leaving us with a great admiration for their talents! Thanks to Brs. Roshan Lobo and Anthony Archer for accompanying our young aspirants!

We had yet another earlier rising on 5 December to travel to behold the scenic beauty of Nongjri and also witness the blessing and inauguration of the Assisi Home, the Boys’ Hostel. Our four-wheeler’s balancing act as it crossed the wooden bridge was worth the watch! As we entered Nongjri, we already saw scores of people from surrounding villages thronging to Nongjri. We gave a few children ride in our vehicle, too. The inside and outside of Our Lady of Angels’ Friary on a small hill-top in Nongjri was pristine clean.

Br. Praveen blessed the hostel building and along with the boys of the hostel cut the ribbon open. The Solemn Eucharist was celebrated by all the friars present. What stood remarkable and inspiring during the Eucharist was the never-ending line of grateful people with their offerings from the harvest. The children of Nongjri added joy to the event with their fantastic colourful cultural programme. Brs. Stephen Lamin and John Lyngdoh deserve our praise for their committed ministry here. Our journey then continued as we voyaged to North Guwahati.

The dawn on 6 December was a bit late as we got sometime to sleep extra after a couple of days of continuous travels. The festive mood brightened the campus. St. Anthony with the Child Jesus along with the Children chiselled beautifully on the front wall of the new school wing was a beaming attraction. The construction was perfectly complete and all was set with no last-minute touch-ups. Br. Tony Marshall, the Principal in welcoming the gathering said, “The tall and elegant building that you see with your naked eyes today represents the belief of our Franciscan brotherhood in divine providence and the collective efforts of our entire brotherhood but in particular the present Provincial administration and the local community of North Guwahati.”

Most Rev. Dr. John Moolachira presided over the Blessing Ceremony. Br. Praveen D’ Souza cut the ribbon of the new Senior Secondary Block. It was a good gesture on the part of the friars to dedicate the Children’s Park to late Ms. Kayntiewlang, the first ever teacher to join St. Anthony’s School in Guwahati along with the pioneer friars. Br. Tony D’ Souza inaugurated the Canteen which was until a few months ago the Friary!

After the Rite of Blessing, the new building welcomed the students, teachers, friars and guests who gathered in the Auditorium for the cultural and felicitation programme. It was a colourful day but the colour “brown” exceptionally dominated a good number of friars were present! We appreciate deeply the efforts of Brs. Wilson Paul, President, Tony Marshall, Principal and Ignatius Baa in organizing the entire day meticulously well. The Aspirants in North Guwahati added wonderful memories with their talent show through songs, dances and skits. Thanks to Brs. Brayan Carneiro and Ankit for training the Aspirants.

The day dawned yet early on 7 December as we travelled to Karbi Anglong to see the Bishop of Diphu as well as the mission stations where our Brs. Nathaniel Tirkey and Shanborlang ministered. Rev. “Dr. Paul Mattekkatt gave us a warm welcome. While interacting with the bishop, he came across to us as a simple Bishop with his both feet on the ground sharing realistically the need of the mission in the region of Karbi Anglong. We then moved to see the land the diocese is offering us. We had almost a 35-Minute walk around the entire diocesan land. The slushy ground made our walk a little difficult. Since we did not want to miss the parish in which our two brothers minister, we braved the dark and cold weather to drive. Our brothers stay along with the diocesan parish priest and minister in the same parish. They are well appreciated for their missionary fervor and enthusiasm. We thank Brs. Nathaniel and Shanborlang for their daring venture here in this diocese and we are specially indebted to them for their tireless driving in all these days reaching us to different places.

Another early rising on 8 December saw us driving to Ri Boi District headquarters for the registration of the Land in the village called Umling. Having successfully carried out the formal legal procedures, we had a sumptuous lunch. On the way back to St. Anthony’s Friary, Guwahati, we spent some time in our land in Umling, another piece of scenic beauty and visited our Capuchin Brothers and the Bishop’s house.

With the required rest on 9 December, we had a relaxed morning. With the delicious lunch at Mr. Shohidur’s house, the Civil Contractor for the new school wing in Guwahati, the planned programmes were brought to a good and memorable finish! Reminiscing the delightfully impressive experience all along, we reached back in Bangalore in the evening hours on 9 December.

Br John Sekar OFM
St Thomas Fraternity Bengaluru

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