Chandel, Oct 8: St. John’s Catholic Church, a new local Catholic church under St. Joseph’s Parish, Sugnu, was inaugurated on Wednesday at Yangkhelching Khutha village in Chakpikarong subdivision under Chandel district. The new church was blessed and dedicated by Most Reverend Dominic Lumon, D.D., Archbishop Emeritus of Imphal.
The joyous occasion was attended by 11 priests, four nuns, and leaders from various churches and villages, besides hundreds of faithful from neighbouring villages and beyond.
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The newly blessed church will serve as a combined house of prayer for both Yangkhelching Khutha and Anal Khunou villages, which together have about 22 Catholic families.
The blessing and dedication programme began with the Holy Eucharistic Mass, offered by Archbishop Emeritus Dominic Lumon, during which the choir of St. John’s Church enriched the liturgy with melodious hymns and prayers.
In his sermon, Archbishop Lumon said that one cannot journey in darkness but needs light to find the way. “In the same manner, the Word of God must be a light to our path in the journey of life,” he emphasized. He called upon the faithful to always walk in the light and in the path of God.
The Mass was followed by a cultural and felicitation programme, where various performances, including songs and choreography, were presented. Individuals who contributed to the construction of the church in various capacities were also felicitated.
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A notable feature of the celebration was the active participation of other Christian denominations in the village, especially the Baptist Church, whose members played a major role in preparing for the event. A similar gesture of unity was witnessed years ago when the Baptist Church of the village was dedicated, with the Catholic community assisting in the arrangements.