By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 4: St. Joseph’s Church, Mawkhar Parish, organised a heartfelt ceremony on Saturday to honour three Catholic clergy (Lyngdoh Sohblei) for their dedicated service to the parish, both in the past and continuing to this day.
The event was part of the parish’s platinum jubilee celebration, which was originally scheduled for November last year but had to be postponed due to a busy programme calendar.
Under the guidance of Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Leo Iawbor and Assistant Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Bensar Kharsati, the ceremony recognised the contributions of the honoured clergy through speeches and cultural programmes.
Rev. Fr. Pascal Lyngdoh, one of the honoured clergy, addressed the gathering and reflected on the meaningful work carried out by the Catholic clergy in serving the parish.
Following the address, the Chancellor of the Shillong Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Jameris Shylla, conducted the Holy Mass, adding a spiritual dimension to the occasion. Rev. Fr. Robert Majaw also participated, while the Sisters of the parish joined in the celebration, making it a truly communal event.
The programme was further enriched by performances from the Jubilee Choir, whose soulful singing touched the hearts of the attendees. Various committees also contributed with offerings, creating an atmosphere of unity and celebration.
Although the parish had extended invitations to all Lyngdoh Sohblei who had served the parish over the years, only three Catholic clergy were able to attend the ceremony due to various personal reasons. Despite this, the ceremony remained meaningful, with those unable to attend being fondly remembered during the event.
In a related note, the Jubilee of Hope, which was initially planned for November 2025, had to be rescheduled due to an overload of events. The Parish Pastoral Council later decided to celebrate the occasion on January 3 to ensure that the ceremony went ahead without further delays.
The event also saw the participation of North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, along with other prominent local figures, adding to the significance of the occasion.
