A Vehicle for a Remote Parish in India
The parish of Saharsa is in one of the poorest parts of India, on the frontier with Nepal. The majority of the people here belong to the Santal tribe, and they are ministered to by priests from the Indian Mission Society, a home-grown Indian congregation established in 1941.
Father Suraj Mathew tells us, “The Catholic faithful here are deeply religious and look forward with great fervor to the Holy Mass. Sundays and Holy Days are occasions of great joy and are celebrated in a truly festive spirit.”
The parish of Saharsa is in one of the poorest parts of India, on the frontier with Nepal. The majority of the people here belong to the Santal tribe, and they are ministered to by priests from the Indian Mission Society, a home-grown Indian congregation established in 1941.
Father Suraj Mathew tells us, “The Catholic faithful here are deeply religious and look forward with great fervor to the Holy Mass. Sundays and Holy Days are occasions of great joy and are celebrated in a truly festive spirit.”
The priests of the parish have to visit many villages, usually on small motorbikes, in order to celebrate Mass, bring Holy Communion to the sick and elderly, and instruct and support Catholic families. The poor roads, heavy monsoon rains, and thick winter fogs make such journeys especially perilous and time-consuming, and also make it difficult to provide the time and attention they would like to give.
But now, thanks to your generous help and a contribution of $13,703 from ACN, the parish has a vehicle of its own, and it is possible to minister more intensively to the people, which is a source of great joy for all involved. Father Mathew writes to thank you all: “We, the Catholic faithful of the parish of Saharsa and the priests of the Indian Mission Society, want to express our heartfelt thanks to you. This car is a real help, and I can assure you that we can now more easily reach many of our people, who are very poor and live in difficult times. Thank you for your love and support! We are praying for you and all your intentions!”
Code: 317-04-29