Meghalaya CM receives Archbishop Jala’s body at Guwahati

Guwahati, Oct. 21, 2019: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma along with members of the state Assembly and others received the mortal remains of Archbishop Dominic Jala at the Guwahati Airport on Oct0ber 20.

Family members of the Archbishop and his loved ones also thronged the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Borjhar, to pay tribute to the deceased archbishop of Shillong.

Sharing a few images of the arrival of the mortal remains of Archbishop Jala at Guwahati Airport on his twitter handle, Sangma said, “Received the mortal remains of His Grace Archbishop Dominic Jala at Guwahati Airport alongside his family members and loved ones.”

To express about the popularity of Archbishop Jala, the CM added, “It’s overwhelming to see the love and support given by everyone present which shows the impact he has made in everyone’s lives.”

After arrival at the Guwahati Airport from USA, the mortal remains were taken to St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Guwahati.

Requiem Mass was conducted at the cathedral before leaving for Shillong.

Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati, who is the president of Northeast India Regional Bishops Council, led the requiem at the Salesian provincial House, Guwahati. Archbishop Jala had earlier headed the Salesians’ Guwahati province.

The requiem was attended by a large number of gathering including Catholic bishops of the Northeast, church leaders, members of the Archdiocese of Shillong and other faithful.

Archbishop Moolachira, while speaking on the occasion, termed Archbishop Jala as a “simple, friendly, very sincere and hardworking person.”

On the way to Shillong, the mortal remains of Archbishop Jala were also taken to the parishes of Byrnihat, Nongpoh and Mawlai.

The mortal remains of the Archbishop will be kept in his parental home at Mawlai Phudmuri for the night.

The mortal remains will be kept in the Cathedral Church for faithfuls to pay their homage from October 21 till the funeral on October 23.

According to information, the funeral will be held at the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Laitumkhrah, Shillong at 1 pm.

Archbishop Jala will be buried in a grave close to the cathedral not inside it.

It was the wish of Jala that he should be buried in a grave inside the cathedral.

The archbishop died in a car accident along with Fathew Mathew Vellankal at Colusa County, Oakland in California, USA on October 10 (October 11 morning in India).

A Toyota Prius where Father Vellankal, Archbishop Jala and Father Joseph Parekkatt were travelling was hit by a tractor-trailer truck on the California Route 20 near Wilbur Springs.

Father Parekkatt, who looks after St. Anne Parish in Walnut Creek, was injured in the mishap.