Tuensang, May 29 (MExN): St. Christopher School and St. Augustine Church in Chessore were inaugurated by Nchumbemo Odyuo, ADC, Tuensang and Fürhesie, SDO Civil, Chessore, respectively on May 29. Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, blessed both the school and church.
A press release from the Kohima Bishop’s secretary informed that the ADC said the Catholic Church fills the gap that no other agency does by going to the remotest places and putting all its resources for the betterment of the people.
“The Fathers and Sisters make lot of sacrifice in their mission and forgo their legitimate comforts of life. They through their ministry try to bring about full development of our people,” Nchumbemo stated in his address. He acknowledged he himself is a beneficiary of the mission of the Catholic Church in Lakhuti though he not a catholic. He urged the public leaders and people of Chessore area to give full support to the fathers in their work.
During the Eucharistic celebration, the Bishop said that Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Eucharist in the Catholic Church is the celebration of Mass using the bread and wine. Referring to the feast of the day, Corpus Christi, he said that the Eucharist is the greatest treasure left by Jesus to the Church. The Bishop further exhorted the community to be fed by the Eucharist and word of God in order to grow in divine life.
Fr. Francis Cheerankal, the Centre in-charge, introduced all the sixteen priests present from different parishes and gave a brief history of the Chessore mission which is just one year old. He expressed gratefulness to the Bishop, Tohanba, the local MLA, and the public for the support rendered for the construction of the school and church.
According to the release, the altar of the church was built with mud brought from every Catholic family and the wood for the altar was brought by Chikem. The wood was used in the Morung and was handed over by fore-fathers. These, Fr. Francis said, is symbol that “we stand united to form one family and we must fight against all forms of evil within and outside us.”
Fr. Francis also released a news letter "Lümyin Düshak" (Thoughts have seen light), a book titled Akin Jipürü Yukhean (Stories of the fathers of faith), and jersey as a souvenir of the occasion.
