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Catholic Church
The Catholic Church in Mizoram has grown from a single Parish to fifteen
Parishes during a span of fifty years.The Catholic members increased
rapidly. There were more than 200 members In 1926. They built a church
with thatched roof in 1927 at Kulikawn, Aizawl, where Christ the King
Cathedral is now located.
History of the Church
Beginnings of the Catholic Church in Mizoram are traced back to the
initiatives of some lay people. Pu Lianchheuva and his friends began to
favour the Catholic faith after reading some booklets on the Catholic
faith and decided to take some steps for the spreading of the faith
among the Mizo.
The spread of the Catholic faith soon became a matter of bad taste to
other denominations. Their leaders even succeeded to convince the
Governor of Assam with the help of the Superintendent of Lushai Hills to
refuse any entry of Catholic Missionaries into Mizoram. This ban
continued to be enforced till the end of 1946.
Social contributions of Catholic Church towards Society
The Catholic Church in Mizoram is not only catering to the spiritual
needs but also for the temporal needs of the people of Mizoram.
The Church works to promote education, peace, social justice, social
health etc. The Church makes a very significant contribution in the
field of education. It runs more than thirty educational institutions in
the state, three Higher Secondary, five Secondary and more than twenty
Elementary schools. Besides these the Church runs dispensaries,
technical schools, charity homes, social work centers, printing presses,
hostels etc.
In the past decade the Catholic Church in Mizoram had made significant
strides towards adulthood by contributing many of her sons and daughters
as Missionaries to carry on the various apostolic activities of the
Church. There are, as of now, six priests, more than fifty Religious
Sisters and half a dozen Religious Brothers among the Mizo, serving in
the vineyard of the Lord in different parts of India and abroad.
Parishes in Mizoram at present (i.e. 2000 AD) are
1. Christ the King Cathedral Parish, Kulikawn -1947
2. St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Chhingchhip -1951
3. St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Kolasib -1953
4. Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Serchhip -1976
5. Parish of Holy Cross, Champhai -1979
6. Parish of Sacred Heart, Lunglei -1983
7. Parish of Mary Help of Christians, Saiha -1993
8. St. Mary’s Parish, Electric Veng, Aizawl -1993
9. St. John Bosco’s Parish, Seling -1993
10. St. Francis Xavier’s Parish, Kanhmun -1995
11. St. John Bosco’s Parish, Lawngtlai -1998
12. St. John’s Parish, Khawzawl -1998
13. St. Paul’s Parish, Sihphir -1999
14. St. Thomas’ Parish, Ramhlun -1999
15. St. Francis Xavier’s Parish, Mamit -2000
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