Pioneer Spanish missioner dies
 |
Shillong:
Spanish missioner Father John Larrea, who pioneered evangelization in northeastern India, died April 17 in Shillong, capital of Christian majority Meghalaya state. He was 92.
Father Larrea, a member of Silchar Salesian province, has been ailing for sometime because of age related illness and was admitted to Nazareth hospital in Shillong a few days back. He passed away at 3.20 am.
Father Larrea arrived in Shillong in 1946, six years after he made his first profession as a Salesian. He was ordained a priest in 1948.
He pioneered missionary work in Assam and Nagaland, paying particular attention to the training of lay catechists for the evangelization of the tribal people.
His work area included the present state of Meghalaya, which was part of Assam until 1972, when it was made a separate state. It is now one of the three Christian majority states in India. The other two – Mizoram and Nagaland -- are also in northeast.
During the last 35 years, Father Larrea worked to spread the "Word of God" through numerous publications in several languages.
He also helped local people in their education, health care, employment and setting up families. While focused on people's welfare, he was equally available for priestly ministry on a regular basis, the province said in a note.
His contribution to the growth of the Church through his apostolate of the written word has benefitted not only North East India, but also several other parts of the world.
Source: Religious India
Father Larrea, a member of Silchar Salesian province, has been ailing for sometime because of age related illness and was admitted to Nazareth hospital in Shillong a few days back. He passed away at 3.20 am.
Father Larrea arrived in Shillong in 1946, six years after he made his first profession as a Salesian. He was ordained a priest in 1948.
He pioneered missionary work in Assam and Nagaland, paying particular attention to the training of lay catechists for the evangelization of the tribal people.
His work area included the present state of Meghalaya, which was part of Assam until 1972, when it was made a separate state. It is now one of the three Christian majority states in India. The other two – Mizoram and Nagaland -- are also in northeast.
During the last 35 years, Father Larrea worked to spread the "Word of God" through numerous publications in several languages.
He also helped local people in their education, health care, employment and setting up families. While focused on people's welfare, he was equally available for priestly ministry on a regular basis, the province said in a note.
His contribution to the growth of the Church through his apostolate of the written word has benefitted not only North East India, but also several other parts of the world.
Source: Religious India
No comments:
Post a Comment