By Felix Anthony
Miao, August 9, 2020: A Catholic bishop in Arunachal Pradesh on August 9 appealed young people in the northeastern Indian state to give up drug addiction and help create a better society and Church.
“Our youth in most parts of the northeastern region, need to rise above their addictions to drug, and stop living as if they are dead,” Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao told a function to mark the National Youth Sunday in Sacred Heart Parish Church of Neotan village in eastern Arunachal.
The Salesian prelate, who is the chairman of the North East Regional Youth Commission, focused on the theme of the National Youth Sunday 2020, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
Highlighting the direct implications of drug addiction to society and to the Church, Bishop Pallipparambil warns that the Church will suffer as long as the youth fail to rise above their addictions.
“Drug addiction among the youth weakens not only society but also the Church. No girl wants to marry a drug addict, which leads the girls to find their life partners outside the Church,” the bishop explained.
The Youth Sunday of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India was celebrated in a subdued manner because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Most celebrations were online such as Bible quiz, drawing and singing.
The NERYC conducted online singing, dancing and photography competitions to mark the occasion and the winners of each category were declared on August 9 by Bishop Pallipparambil.
Annette Larchangsha Ngoruw of Imphal Archdiocese, Manipur, won the first prize in solo dance competition. While Adiousbai Passah of Jowai diocese in Meghalaya won the online singing Phoging Pansa of Miao diocese was declared winner of photography.