Rev. Fr. A.D. Jose with fellow clergy, nuns and the communications.
Wokha, June 29 (MExN): St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Wokha on Sunday commemorated its Parish Feast Day alongside its Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years since its establishment. The milestone event was observed with a solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Rev. Fr. A.D. Jose, SDB, former Parish Priest of the church, as the main celebrant.
Rev. Fr. C.J. Sebastian, the current Parish Priest, welcomed the congregation with jubilee greetings and emphasized the significance of the occasion as a time of spiritual renewal, reflection, and gratitude. He highlighted the life of the patron saint, St. Paul, and called upon the faithful to recommit themselves to a life of faith and harmony.
Delivering the homily, Fr. Jose recalled the sacrifices made by the early pioneers of the church who embraced Catholicism despite considerable hardships. He extended his congratulations to the founding members and expressed joy at being able to witness the spiritual growth of the parish over six decades.
Reflecting on the scriptural readings, Fr. Jose spoke of the miraculous liberation of St. Peter from prison, underlining the power of community prayer and divine intervention. He reminded the faithful of the biblical maxim, “Man proposes, but God disposes,” and urged them to draw strength from Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
He also reflected on the transformation of St. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, into one of the Church’s greatest apostles. He called on the congregation to emulate the apostle’s courage and unwavering faith, encouraging them to uphold the values of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Addressing the First Communicants, Fr. Jose urged them to embrace Jesus as their closest friend, always choosing virtue over sin. He stressed the importance of confession and quoted St. Dominic’s exhortation, “Death rather than sin.”
The celebration also included a brief welcome programme to honour Fr. Jose for his past pastoral contributions during his five-year tenure in Wokha.
A total of 51 members of the parish received their First Holy Communion during the Mass.
The event was attended by representatives from various Catholic communities, including the Lotha Catholic Union, St. Peter’s Catholic Church Longsa, Niropen Catholic Community, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church Chukitong, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church Humtso. The service was prayerfully chaired by Chophathung Kikon, Assistant Catechist.
