TURA: If its construction was a labour of love, the shrine’s consecration was surely a triumph of faith. Despite the inclement weather, the incredible happened.
The Sacred Heart Shrine indeed became the destination for the Catholic faithful as young and old, rich and poor, privileged and plebeian, from far and near braved nature’s odds to stand witness to the opening of its haloed portals.
Distance seemed hardly a hindrance for the devoted as proximity to the sacred and the sacramental was all that mattered for those who came from all over Garo Hills and the far off places in Khasi Hills and Bongaigaon in Assam to be part of the sacred occasion.
The long awaited dream of the Catholic faithful to witness and partake in the Holy Eucharistic service in the Sacred Heart Shrine finally came true on Saturday morning as the devoted in their thousands joined the Bishops of the North East for the consecration of one of the biggest shrines in the history of the Catholic church in Garo Hills.
The shrine which is supposed to house around five thousand faithful, witnessed a deluge of humanity jostling for space both within and beyond its sanctified portals on Saturday.
The service began with an itinerary of rituals which started with the consecration of the altar with the sacred chrism oil by the Bishop Andrew Marak. This was followed with the burning of incense as part of the rituals of purification that dates back to the Old Testamant in the Holy Bible. The 12 pillars of the Shrine were then anointed by the bishops of the north east before the Holy Bible was carried and enthroned in the sacred Ambo for the Holy Eucharist to begin.
Earlier, the Archbishop of Guwahati, Most. Rev. John Moolachira opened the Shrine to worship after unveiling a plaque and leading the congregation into the church.
In his homily at the inaugural service of the Sacred Heart Shrine, Bishop of Tura Rt. Rev Andrew R Marak said that the house of the Lord would always be a place of solace welcoming every believer in Christ.
“In the face of life’s many challenges Lord Jesus Christ always gives us strength and confidence. One who prays in the Lord’s house will always find inner peace and comfort of the soul,” said Bishop Andrew Marak in his address to the gathering of several thousand who had braved the cold and wet weather to partake in the celebration of the shrine.
“Today we are having showers of blessings from Heaven,” said Bishop Andrew who completed ten years of his being anointed Bishop of Tura.
A host of public leaders including Tura MP Conrad K Sangma, MLAs James K Sangma, Nihim D Shira, Rophuel S Marak, former Rajya sabha MP Thomas A Sangma, GHADC CEM Boston Marak, attended the service.
The Lok Sabha MP also unveiled a souvenir of the Sacred Heart Parish as part of the shrine’s dedication.