TURA: One of the oldest Indian missionaries who extensively served the Catholic Church in Garo Hills setting up a parish and an ashram for the welfare of the poor and needy has passed away after a brief illness in Guwahati on Sunday evening. He was 86.
Diocesan priest Rev. Fr. E. V. George who was the founder of the Resubelpara Parish, in what is now known as the North Garo Hills District, and had also established the Muktidata Ashram in Tikrikilla region of West Garo Hills, was undergoing medical treatment in Down Town Hospital of Guwahati when he passed away at around 7:15 pm.
His funeral is due to take place at the Tura Catholic Cemetery near the Bishop House complex on Wednesday after a special church service.
Born on January 16, 1928, in Palai, Kerela, Fr. George was ordained a priest on April 24, 1960. The same year he arrived in Garo Hills to begin his missionary works and spent the most part of his priestly duties serving in the interiors of Garo Hills touring the remote villages.
He would go on to serve 54 long years of dedicated missionary work for the people in the Garo Hills region including neighbouring Assam.
He served in Damra (Dudhnoi), Baghmara and Dalu during the 1960s. In 1971 he opened the Catholic Parish at Resubelpara and also pioneered the missionary work among the Rabhas and the Assamese speaking people. He established a co-education school for the children of Resubelpara region and named it the Pascal English School which continues to impart much needed education for the needy children.
Having a command over Garo, Rabha and Assamese languages, in 1989 Fr. George arrived in Tikrikilla and established the Muktidata Ashram to provide education and livelihood opportunities for the Rabha and Boro communities. He would go on to serve the people at Muktidata Ashram for 25 long years until his recent illness.
“He was a visionary renowned for his priestly holiness, missionary zeal, generosity and kind heartedness. He was instrumental in bringing thousands of people to the knowledge of Christ’s message and helped several generations of youth in acquiring education and progress in life,” stated the Catholic Church in Garo Hills.
