A New Chapel for a Village in India 

The parish of Christ the King is in eastern India. The parish is very active, especially in its work with children and young adults. There is a Sunday school, as well as numerous youth groups and a particular effort to foster love for Mary and the Mass. There are many altar servers, and the liturgies are celebrated in song, with traditional musical instruments. The women organize themselves in prayer groups, Bible readings, and visits to the sick and needy; the men likewise play an active role in the Church and serve their community however they can. 

One of the parish outstations is the village of Sambalpur. Most of the faithful here belong to the Santal tribe; they are poor and live in a remote area. Formerly hunter-gatherers, most of them live by working the land, though many continue to cultivate their woodcarving skills.  

In the past, the priests would regularly visit the village and celebrate Holy Mass, but for many years, they did so in the open, since there was no village chapel. And although there was one elderly man who, about a decade ago, gave a plot of land for the construction of a small church, the community was always too poor to embark on such an undertaking.  

Finally, back in 2019, the faithful turned once again to their parish priest, but all he could offer them was the battered corrugated sheets that had been torn off the primary school roof by a heavy tropical storm. But the people were happy to accept and, with their own modest resources, managed to buy more tin sheets and build a temporary chapel. But this was already too small to accommodate the faithful, and so their bishop, Clement Tirkey of the Diocese of Jalpaiguri, asked ACN to help the community build a “proper” church. Once again, our benefactors gave generously, and we were able to contribute $25,933. 

Priests and faithful alike were overjoyed when their bishop was finally consecrated the new chapel on October 30, 2023. Amid singing and traditional dancing, the great procession moved toward the little church, where Holy Mass was celebrated for the first time.   

“On behalf of all those who attended the solemn consecration of the church in Sambalpur and of all the faithful of the Diocese of Jalpaiguri, I want to thank you for the generous help you gave us for this church. We were so happy to have your support,” writes Father Marcel Fernandez, the episcopal vicar of the diocese. He has no doubt that this church, dedicated to Saint Joseph, who is regularly invoked in so many difficulties, will soon draw pilgrims from other parts of the diocese as well.

We also thank all who contributed. May God reward you all!

Code: 317-01-19