Seminar for Pastors of Ranchi Province in the Assam–Bengal Region

A seminar for the pastors of Ranchi Province working in the Assam–Bengal region was held on 24 September 2026 at Franciscan Ashram Adhikari. Rev. Fr. John Horo, TOR, Animator of the Pastoral Ministry of the Province, took the initiative to organise the seminar. Very Rev. Fr. Manoj Vengathanam, TOR, Minister Provincial, was also present and encouraged the friars. At the end of the seminar, he offered valuable suggestions and guidance to the pastors. Fr. John welcomed the resource person and all the participants.
Rev. Fr. Peter Pappu, SJ, former Provincial of the Darjeeling Province, was the resource person. In the first session, he spoke about the history of the mission among the tribal communities in the tea gardens. He explained that the mission began with the arrival of the Jesuit missionaries at Champa Tea Garden in the Terai region in 1902. He also mentioned the Darjeeling–Nepal dispute, which was settled by a treaty in 1917. The seminary at Asansol had been moved to Kurseong in 1887. People from Barwe-Shank and Gumla were brought on six-month contracts and were later sent to Assam.
Fr. Andrew visited the Terai region from Kurseong in 1902. The first baptism recorded at St. Mary’s Church, Kurseong, was in 1904. Fr. John Baptist, SJ, recorded 42 baptisms. Catechist Patras Beck used to climb the hills during Easter and Christmas and repeatedly asked the priests to come to the Terai region. The people wanted priests to be present among them, especially for the celebration of the sacraments.
In the 1930s, a school was started at Girja Line, Gayaganga. Yacub Beck taught at the school and also served the Church. By 1933, there were about 2,000 faithful in the area. At Bogibita, about 72 acres of land were purchased. On 9 November 1934, the construction of a residence began. A convent was built in 1935, a dispensary in 1936, and a church in 1937–38. In the Jalpaiguri area, the PIME Fathers took responsibility for the mission.
Speaking about the nature and mission of a parish, Fr. Peter said that a parish gives the faithful a sense of belonging and identity. At the centre of parish life is faith formation. He encouraged pastors to celebrate the memory of the saints and to mark important moments in parish life, such as baptisms, marriages and funerals.
He reminded the pastors that the parish has the responsibility of passing on the faith to future generations. Therefore, the parish itself should have a missionary spirit. He also reminded them that priests are called to use their different gifts in the service of the people. Parish priests should be well qualified, properly trained and filled with apostolic zeal. They should also have a good knowledge of Canon Law, the teachings of the Church and other areas needed for effective pastoral ministry.
The second session focused more on Fr. Peter’s personal experience as a pastor and on the present challenges faced by the Church in the tea-garden communities. He observed that the traditional panch system is no longer as effective as it was in the past. People do not always listen to the panches or catechists, and many are less interested in taking part in Church activities.
He noted that the younger generation is increasingly attracted to games, picnics and pilgrimages, while showing less interest in spiritual activities and studies. He also pointed out several concerns, including alcohol consumption, excessive use of mobile phones, drug abuse, sexual concerns, reduced participation in Church activities, smaller families and delayed marriages.
Fr. Peter recalled that although people in the past were materially poor, they often lived with greater happiness and simplicity. Priests regularly visited their homes and remained close to the people. He stressed that family visitation should once again become an important pastoral priority. He also suggested that young women involved in selling rice beer along the roads should be approached with pastoral care and sensitivity.
Fr. Peter recommended that the election of panches should be taken seriously. Those chosen should be people who are respected by the community and whom people are willing to listen to. They should also be regular participants in the life of the Church. He encouraged greater involvement of women in community leadership.
Since there are often long queues for Confession, he suggested that opportunities for Confession could be arranged in the villages themselves. This would make the sacrament more accessible to the faithful.
He also highlighted the important role of the Assistant Parish Priest. He reminded priests to maintain a respectful and appropriate pastoral presence when visiting the homes of the faithful. He cautioned that the pulpit should not be used simply for scolding or giving instructions. Rather, it should be a place for proclaiming the Gospel and strengthening the faith of the people.
Fr. Peter further emphasised that every parish has its own unique character. This uniqueness should be expressed through the charism of the religious congregation or society serving the parish. A parish should be visible through its faith, community life and apostolic activities. He stressed the need for a clear apostolic and provincial pastoral plan to guide the pastoral ministry of the Province.
The seminar gave the pastors an opportunity to reflect on the rich history of the mission, the changing pastoral situation of the tea-garden communities and the need for new pastoral approaches. It encouraged the pastors to remain close to the people, strengthen faith formation, give greater importance to family visitation and make the parish a more missionary and welcoming community.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Rev. Fr. Sumn Kishore Dhan, TOR, Coordinator of the Assam-Bengal Region of the Province.
Fr. John Horo, TOR