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More Christians needed to preach Gospel in India |
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By The Catholic Spirit
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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 |
 Bishop George Pallipparambil
Bishop George Pallipparambil, 55, grew up in Kerala, India. He entered the seminary at age 15, after graduating from high school. He was ordained a priest in 1982 and a bishop in 2006, at which time he was appointed the first bishop of the Diocese of Miao in northeast India. The diocese was formed in December 2005 and now has 130,000 Catholics, after starting out with only a few. It is a primitive part of the country that is not predominantly Hindu like elsewhere in India. Recently he visited the archdiocese.
How did you become a missionary?
From my high school days down in Kerala, somehow I felt I should be a
part of mission somewhere. There, I heard about missions that were
tribal and primitive and I went there.
How are you a missionary now?
I see thousands of people who are unevangelized and are very eager to
hear the Good News. And, these people are also suffering because they
have been deprived of many opportunities in life like education and
exposure to the rest of society. So, I felt there was a lot I could
contribute as a member of the Catholic Church.
Bishop George Pallipparambil
What is your greatest challenge in being a missionary?
Today, the biggest challenge I face is our inability to catch up with
the interest the people show in Christianity and the liberation they
can get as Christians. There is such an interest, but we are too few
and the area is too vast and we can’t reach them.
What are your ties to this archdiocese?
This is my third visit here to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and
Minneapolis. And, for three years, we’ve had someone coming from our
diocese to speak to the parishes [in this archdiocese]. And, for three
years, this archdiocese has helped us financially, especially with the
construction of a seminary. Hopefully, by next April, it will be [done].
[The Diocese of Miao also received a $50,000 grant from the Global
Mission Leadership Fund to build a seminary. It is a grant program to
support mission vocations overseas.]
What is the state of the church in your diocese?
I would simply say it is very vibrant. Everybody who is a Catholic is
interested in bringing others into the church. So, it is not [just] the
work of the priests and bishop. Second, our people of God have such an
interest in prayer, especially the community, charismatic prayer. Once
the community prays, it will stand. That is the conviction I have.
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