The two-day conference of the North East India Regional Catholic Bishops’ Council (NEIRCBC) held at Christashram, Mancotta near here, concluded recently with a resolve to work with various ethnic communities of the region to bring peace, progress and harmony among the cultures of the region.
NEIRCBC is the apex body of the Catholic church in the North East comprising of 15 bishops of 15 separate dioceses of the region. The catholic dioceses in the North East include Shillong, Dibrugarh, Aizawl, Tezpur, Kohima, Imphal, Agartala, Tura, Diphu, Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Itanagar, Nongstoin, Jowai and Miao. The two-day meeting was presided over by the Council president Archbishop Domnic Jala of Shillong.
The regional prelates reviewed the services of the church in value education, social welfare, healthcare and other charitable works in the northeastern region. They identified various problems of the region during the meeting and deliberated upon them. They also evaluated the impact of various types of services rendered by the Catholic church in the context of the fast changing scenario.
The Catholic church in the North East is one of the pioneers that took up education as one of the most important focus point to ensure social progress. The earlier pioneers who came from abroad gave a lot of emphasis to education and it is an undeniable fact that the Catholic church as an institution contributed a lions’ share in evolving good leadership in the society in North East India, said a release issued by Fr GP Amalraj, Deputy Secretary of North East India Regional Catholic Bishops’ Council (NEIRCBC).
The church body also expressed pain over the rising incidents of crimes against women and children in the country. They demanded that the Government rein in the perpetrators for the cause of humanity.
The bishops also took part in two special prayer services held in St Xavier’s School, Mancotta and Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bishop’s House here during the two-day conference. The prayer service in Mancotta held on the opening day was presided over by Archbishop Domnic Jala and Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati presided over the prayer service at the Bishop’s House.
The church dignitaries were accorded a warm reception at St Xavier’s School as also in Bishop’s House here, the release added.
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
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