MAWLAI PARISH

ST. DOMINIC SAVIO PARISH – MAWLAI

(Estd. 1939 – C 1992)  INS 16

Mawlai

Meghalaya – 793008

BRIEF HISTORY

The Parish of Mawlai, initially named Sacred Heart Church, was carved out of the Parish of Laitumkhrah and canonically erected in 1939 with Fr. Benedict Fiori as the first Parish Priest. Due to World War II, Fr. Fiori was Parish Priest only for a short time (from 08^th October to 19^th December 1939). The Parish of Mawlai became a reality particularly due to the frequent pastoral visits made by Fr. C. Vendrame to the area when he was the Parish Priest of Laitumkhrah. He built the Shrine of Sacred Heart and it was consecrated on 13^th April 1935. The parishioners as well as the students of theology studying in Mawlai used the shrine. It was Fr. Albert Correngia (Parish Priest 1951-1959) who chose the present site and built the new Parish church and named it ‘St. Dominic Savio Church’. The renovation and the expansion of the Church building was done by Fr. Gervasis Kozhuppathadam (Parish Priest 1991-2003).

The following Salesians served as Parish Priests: Fr. Peter Tonello (1939-1945),             Fr. Francis Diengdoh (1945-1946), Fr. Mario Botto (1947-1951), Fr. Albert Correngia (1951-1959), Fr. Cajetan Guidotto (1959-1966), Fr. Denis Troncana (1967-1981), Fr. Carmel Attard (1981-1987), Fr. Alexis Sanglura (1987-1991), Fr. Gervasis Kozhuppathadam (1991-2003), Fr. Augustine Kootala (2003-2009), Fr. Roland Kharkrang (2009- ). Other residential priests of Mawlai Parish were Fr. Peter Schiavon, Fr. Thomas Mattam, Fr. Harold Shrieves, Fr. Jose Varickasseril, Fr. Augustine Edasserithottathil, Fr. Mathew Parackatte, Fr. Sebastian Mathew Kuricheal, Fr. Ioannis Eugene War, Fr. James Mani, Fr. Paul Vadakumpadan, Fr. John Kalapura, Fr. Jose Thekkekunnel, Fr. Roy Anthony Parackal and Fr. Patrick Nongrang. Bro. Joseph Pakma and Bro. Jerome Lyngdoh were part of the Parish community and looked after the hostel boys and saw to the smooth running of the liturgical celebrations. At present, there are three confreres in the parish: Fr Thongnibah Marius (Rt & PP), Fr. Varickaserril Jose (VR, App, SHTC Faculty Member) and Fr Marweiñ Alistair (App, Cs, SHTC Faculty Member).

The Parish was bifurcated in 1953 with Nongpoh as the new Parish. Further growth called for another division of the Parish and Mgr. T. Resto established the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul at Pynthorumkhrah on 1 April 1997 with Fr. Peter Schiavon as the first Parish Priest.

Up to 1992, the Parish community of St. Dominic Savio was part of the Sacred Heart Theological College. On 02^nd June 1992, Rev. Fr. Egidio Vigano, Rector Major, established        St. Dominic Savio Church as a canonically erected community with Fr. Gervasis Kozhuppathadam as the Rector.

The Parish has numerous institutions and religious communities within its area. They are Oriens Theological College, Claretians, Missionary Society of St. Francis De Sales, Franciscan Brothers, Order of the Discalced Carmelites (OCD), the Salvatorians, the Jesuits, the Salesians of Don Bosco (Sacred Heart Theological College, Mathias Institute, Savio Juniorate, Siloam), Salesian Sisters (FMA), the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC) and Hospitales (HSC). They offer services in the Parish in many ways.

 One remarkable feature is that over 60 vocations, diocesan and religious, hail from the Parish. Most Rev. Dominic Jala, the Archbishop of Shillong is from Mawlai Parish.

 The presence of various associations like Seng Rangbah, Seng Kynthei, Seng Samla, Salesian Cooperators, Altar Boys, Small Christian Communities, Charismatic Prayer groups, and the active collaboration of catechists, teachers, Parish Council, CMCs (Catholic Managing Committees) render great fervour to the pastoral life of the faithful. The frequent and numerous family prayer services [jingïaseng] is a unique feature of the Parish.

APOSTOLATE / MINISTRIES

STATISTICS

VILLAGE SCHOOLS

       Statistics as in 2017