National Youth Sunday: Give Up Drug Addiction, Arunachal Bishop tells NE Youth

By Fr Felix Anthony –

Miao: Celebrating the National Youth Sunday with the rest of India, Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao Diocese, Arunachal Pradesh appealed to the youth of North East India to give up drug addiction to create a better society and Church, on 9 August 2020 at Sacred Heart Parish Church, Neotan.

Recalling the theme of National Youth Sunday 2020, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise’ (Lk7: 14), Bishop George, who is also the Chairman Bishop of the North East Regional Youth Commission (NERYC), said, “Our youth in most parts of the North East Region, need to rise above their addictions to drug, for they live as though they are dead.

Highlighting the direct implications of drug addiction to the society and to the Church, the NERYC Chairman said as long as the youth fail to rise above their addictions, the Church will suffer. “Drug addiction among the youth weakens not only the society but also the Cburch. No girl wants to marry a drug addict, which leads the girls to find their life partners outside the Church”, he said.

In the context of Covid-19, the subdued celebration of the Youth Sunday of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India had mostly online events this year, like Bible Quiz and Drawing and Singing. The NERYC had conducted online singing, dancing and photography competitions to mark the National Youth Sunday and the winners of each category were declared today by the Chairman Bishop.

Miss Annette Larchangsha Ngoruw of Imphal Archdiocese, Manipur won the first prize in solo dance competition. Mr. Adiousbai Passah of Jowai Diocese and Mr. Phoging Pansa of Miao Diocese were declared winners of the online singing and photography competitions, respectively.