Jubilee is a time to embrace future with hope: Bishop

Dimapur, April 22 (EMN): Jubilee is a time to embrace the future with hope, a hope based on moral values and principles, said the Bishop of Kohima, Rev. Dr. James Thoppil.
Speaking at the Catholic Mission-St. Thomas Parish and St. John’s Higher Secondary School, Tuensang Golden Jubillee as the main celebrant, he said any jubilee, whether of an individual or an institution is an occasion to look to the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to look to the future with hope. The celebration should challenge us to examine our fidelity to the values we learned and are taught in the school, he added.Bishop said St. John Higher Secondary School, Tuensang is a premier school of the Catholic Church because it has immensely contributed to the growth and development of the people in the area and also of the Church. He expressed hope that after fifty years of great service many of its students take leadership in spreading the values and principles upheld by the founding body of the school.
Recalling the untiring efforts and immense sacrifices of the pioneers, Bishop expressed gratitude to God who inspired and guided every step of the pioneers who ventured out to begin the educational apostolate of the Catholic Church in the unknown and unchartered territory in Nagaland.
“With courage Fr. P. C. Mani, who is present in our midst along with the Adoration Sisters set to walk the unfamiliar hill tract on 28th February 1967, at the invitation of A. Imlong, Minister In-charge of Tuensang Affairs despite great opposition,” he stated. Bishop also mentioned the names of others who had contributed for building up of the mission. He said the school and citizens should be grateful and proud of the pioneers’ sacrifices and commitments for the cause of Catholic education and faith, as they celebrate the 50 years of existence. The past must lead us to live the present with greater commitment and fidelity, he added.
Further, Bishop called upon the present generation to take the baton from hand of the pioneers and run the race of life with passion and vigour diffusing far and wide the aroma of the values they learned in this school.
Emphasizing on education, Bishop said Catholic Church is well aware that good education is the key to development and progress. “The Church’s intense and extensive apostolate of education continues Jesus’ mission of liberation and of imparting fullness of life. It emphasizes a holistic and fuller development that meets the challenges of modem culture and society and its demand for higher levels of competence” he stated.
Bishop also remarked that Church through its educational institutions strives to build a new society based on justice, peace, love and harmony. Catholic wants all citizens to become literate, skilled and competent, socially aware and spiritually motivated and fully involved in the building up of a developed and just society. Thus, he said education does not become an end in itself rather it must empower one to live well and be happy.
“Education must make people not merely to do the right thing but enjoy the right things; not merely to be industrious but to love industry; not merely to learn but to love knowledge; not merely to be pure but to love purity; not merely to be just but to hunger and thirst for justice; education thus is not merely for a living but for life,” he stated.
Guest of honour, Rev. Dominic Lumon, Archbishop of Imphal exhorted the students and community to establish Gospel based society with values of peace, Justice and compassion. He said God should be given the prime place in the institutions, families and society.
Koma Yangbou, representing the Managing Board applauded the Catholic missionaries. On behalf of the Alumi Changsang, EAC Longeleng, highlighted their experience in the school and how they were formed in the school.
The Golden Jubilee was celebrated on April 21-23. Rev. Fr. Carolus Neisalhou, Vicar General of the Diocese of Kohima and 28 priests concelebrated the thanksgiving Holy Eucharist.
On this occasion, Jubilee Memorial Gate by Rev. Fr. P.C. Mani, first Parish priest, Slab for the Science Laboratory by Most. Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima and Rev. Dominic Lumon, was also blessed and inaugurated. Golden jubilee souvenir, Chang prayer book (Welau le) and the article ‘Towards a relevant Chang Catholic Church’ written by Rev. Fr. Benjamin were released on the occasion.