BY Ian Dunn | January 9 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS     print icon print

SCIAF-IN-INDIA-BLOG-LOGO

SCO in India – Gulma bishop speaks of need for Church

“The Church is still needed here.” These are the words of Bishop Paul Alois Lakra of Gumla.

While it may seem strange that the Church’s work is vital in a country where Christians make up but a small minority of the population, visiting his remote diocese with SCIAF proves his words to be true.

Gumla Diocese was erected by Pope John Paul II, with territory taken from Ranchi Archdiocese, and is home to of 110,00 people and around 25,000 of them are Christian, a huge proportion by Indian standards. Bishop Lakra knows the area very well.

“I am a proper local,” he told the SCO. “The parish I was born in is only five minutes away from the house I live in as a bishop. No other Indian bishop is as close to his home parish, I think.”

It is clear that he cares deeply about his flock in this remote area, where the highly wooded mountains and lack of roads made it very difficult for outsiders to access many villages. These villages are home to tribal people, who are by and large outside mainstream Indian society.

“We are still tribal,” the bishops said. “We are Christian now but we are still a tribal people.”

In his role the bishop has to deal with problems most Scottish bishops would find highly unusual, such as helping a priest whose home had been destroyed by wild elephants. However, in one area his priorities are no different than any bishop’s.

“My main focus is education,” he said. “We have 28 high schools and 250 primary schools in this diocese and that is my main focus. Some of the children here are very poor, education can be the best way to support them.”

This educational focus, along with the work of Caritas India in the area to help desperately poor farmers sustain themselves and their families, speaks to the truth in Bishop Lakra’s claim that the Church is needed in the area.

[email protected]

Leave a Reply

latest opinions

Let love cure your anxieties

February 22nd, 2013 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS

Fr Ronald Rolheiser...


The work of the universal Church continues apace

February 22nd, 2013 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS

THIS WEEK’S EDITORIAL LEADER...


Cross Wires: Thursday headlines

February 21st, 2013 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS

The latest Catholic, ecumenical and interfaith news and opinion...


Cross Wires: Wednesday headlines

February 20th, 2013 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS

The latest Catholic news and ecumenical news and opinion...



Social media

Latest edition

PAGE-1-FEB-22-2013

exclusively in the paper

  • Cardinal Keith O’Brien contemplates election of next Pope and Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti reflects on the Holy Father’s health at Knights of Malta 900th anniversary.
  • Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow tells parents and teachers it is their responsibility to pass on knowledge of the Sacrament of Marriage.
  • Deacon Charles Henry on the value of the Sacrament of Marriage and the need to prepare properly for it.
  • Lentfest launch; opening concert at Our Holy Redeemer’s parish, Clydebank; and arts and media insight from AGAP director Stephen Callaghan.
  • The Rite of Election in Scotland’s dioceses.

Previous editions

Previous editions of the Scottish Catholic Observer newspaper are only available to subscribed Members. To download previous editions of the paper, please subscribe.

note: registered members only.

Read the SCO