By Barnes Mawrie
A year has gone by since the sudden demise of His Grace Archbishop Dominic Jala in a road accident in the US. The news came to us like a bolt from the blue leaving everyone aghast and shock stricken. Most people especially his family members and close friends, found it unacceptable. When the news first arrived, none wanted to believe it considering it as a bad rumour or a misinformation. Unfortunately, it all turned out to be true. The 10th of October 2019 marked as the saddest day for the faithful of the Shillong Archdiocese and for all people in the country who knew the Archbishop. Today is the first death anniversary and it is fitting that we should remember him and his legacy. The mammoth gathering on the day of his funeral and the unbelievable reception of his mortal remains all along the GS road, still remain as unparalleled events in the history of the Church in Northeast India. The air of sadness and gloom which hung over the whole city of Shillong demonstrated the loss of a great person who was much loved and respected by all and sundry.
Archbishop Dominic Jala could simply be described as “a pastor who had the smell of his sheep and felt the pulses of his flock.” He never did great and spectacular things in his life to earn vain glory for himself, but his greatness and distinction lay in his simplicity, his down-to-earth approach and his ability to connect with ordinary people. He was the first bishop in the country to have abandoned the paraphernalia of episcopacy. He gave up using the traditional episcopal cassock, the skull cup or even the episcopal ring and he seldom put on the mitre. He loved to appear as an ordinary pastor among his people. This gesture of humility and detachment from the glory and pomp associated with the office, has been emulated by other bishops of the region. Unlike other dignitaries who are so inaccessible to people, Archbishop Dominic was always accessible to people whenever he was in station. Often people would see him walking on foot from the Archbishop’s House to Nazareth Hospital to and fro. On the way he would converse with people. He had absolutely no air about himself. In fact, people who did not know him would mistake him for any ordinary priest and they would be pleasantly shocked to know that he was the Archbishop of Shillong.
He was a great intellectual in his own right. He had a PhD in Sacred Liturgy from San Anselmo University (Rome) and he proved to be a great authority in his field. It was precisely because of his expertise in Liturgy that he was elected as the President of the Liturgical Commission of the CCBI for a number of years. He was also elected as the Secretary of the International Commission for English Liturgy (ICEL) which is based in the US, an office which he held till his death. A few years ago before his death, Pope Francis also nominated him as a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship. His contribution to the preparation of the revised English Missal is well known. He was also committed to liturgical discipline in the Archdiocese and was able to inculcate a high degree of liturgical sense in the local church. He was an ardent promoter of interreligious dialogue and ecumenism. In fact he was still holding office as the president of the Shillong Khasi-Jaiñtia Church Leaders’ Forum (SKJCLF) when he died. He was well respected and looked up to for advice in these matters. His passion for reading was well known and his collection of books was admirable. During his long journeys for meetings in India and abroad he would always have books as his companions. The impact of such extensive reading would be revealed in his broadminded attitude and his vast knowledge on various disciplines and topics. It was always enlightening to converse with him.
Archbishop Dominic was an ardent lover of the sick and suffering. He would always make a visit on foot to Nazareth Hospital in order to visit sick people and to pray and bless them. Whenever possible he would even visit sick relatives of his priests and religious in far away villages. He had a tremendous stamina for travelling and would never make any fuss about inconveniences.
In the untimely death of Archbishop Dominic Jala, the Church of Northeast India has lost a dynamic and visionary leader and a loving and caring shepherd. His greatness lay not in “doing” but more in “being.” He commanded respect not by his position and authority, but more by his simplicity of life. He really lived the Gospel criterion of greatness “the greatest among you must be the servant of all” (Mk 10:43). May God rest his soul in peace.
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