By Felix Anthony

Miao: Women are the biggest miracle workers in the world, asserts a Catholic prelate serving India’s northeastern extreme.

“You are miracle workers and also our unsung heroines, who go about making the world a better place to live in, without expecting anything in return,” Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao said at a function to celebrate the International Women’s Day at Miao.

“You are a miracle worker. You change raw food materials into delicious food and you transform our houses into homes,” the Salesian prelate told some around 150 women delegates from around Miao attending the March 8 program at Miaop’s Christ the Light Shrine.

He encouraged the women to continue the positive role they play at home, in society, the Church, the country and in the world at large.

Students of Light of the World School and seminarians at Christ the Light Seminary performed cultural items at the felicitation program held after Mass presided over by the bishop.

Echoing the bishop’s words, Sister Mary Sarkar, the Miao Diocesan Women Commission Secretary, said, ‘Man builds building but woman transforms it into a home.”

Miao Diocesan Women president Likro Mossang highlighted the need for recognizing women’s contribution in society. May all women feel free to dream, create, express and live their hearts’ deepest desire,” she added.

Chief Guest Namrata Tiwary, the Extra Assistant Commissioner of Miao Sub-division, highlighted the theme of IWD 2021. In the modern times we live in, it is time for the women to choose to challenge because a challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change, she said.

At another celebration at the Seva Kendra Aruanchal East training center in Namphai, its director, Sister Sunita Parmar brought together its women Self Help Groups for a day of animation and motivation sessions.

Addressing the 40 participants, the Carmelite Missionary Nun said, “Even in the 21st century women are treated as commodities and sex toys. This Women’s Day, let us choose to challenge this and make the world treat women as human, not as toy, as companion, not as slave and as partner and not as subordinate.”

The captain of 14th Rajput Regiment of Indian Army and his men joined the celebration and distributed vitamin and calcium tablets to the women participants.