DDW PUNE – MISSON VISIT TO BANDERDEWA, ARUNACHAL PRADESH
In November 2023, we got the opportunity to visit the missions in Arunachal Pradesh. The Banderdewa mission was started by Br. Prem Bai (aka Henry Kashinath Gaikwad) a Maharashtrian by birth. Since his arrival in 1981, he dedicated his life to the missions in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, where he baptized about 25000 people and built about 128 churches. In 2001 he set up the Holy Trinity Ashram at Banderdewa with a small school and a dispensary. His compassion, generosity and simplicity endeared the locals so much that when he died in Sri Lanka in June 2008, they insisted on bringing his body to Banderdewa for burial. Many consider him a Saint and the process for canonization is underway. Today Banderdewa is adorned with a beautiful church and school, which is managed by the Parish priest – Fr. Chackochen assisted by Fr. Cyprian Tirky, SVD and Dn. Pradeep Beck. During our visit, we were privileged to attend the inauguration and the blessing of the Sacred Heart Church, Itanagar. It is the largest church in the Itanagar Diocese which is built with the generous contributions of the local people only. We visited Itanagar Bishop’s House and met Bp. John Thomas, Bp. Benny Varghese and Bp.Thomas Pullopilly. We also visited missions in the Roing area – Krick & Boury Memorial Schools at Tezu and Sunpura; Divine Word School at Roing; Janssen Youth Training Centre at Solabasti (Assam), and the SVD Regional House at Guwahati (Assam). The church in Arunachal Pradesh is a testimony to the Christian world of how the participation of the laity can accelerate the spread of the Gospel.
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