Miao: A remote diocese in north east India joined Pope Francis’ 24 Hours for the Lord initiative on 29 March 2019.
Miao Diocese in Arunachal Pradesh located in the north eastern most corner of India joined the fifth recurrence of Pope Francis’ 24 Hours for the Lord initiative with Eucharistic Adoration and Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Leading the service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Neotan, the biggest Church in Arunachal Pradesh, Most Rev. Dennis Panipitchai, SDB, the Auxiliary Bishop of Miao Diocese invited the people to experience the embrace of God at the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “Make this opportunity as a unique occasion to return to the Father”, he said.
A church in every diocese around the world is kept open for 24 consecutive hours as part of the initiative.
The evening service at the village Church, that corresponded with Pope Francis’ presiding over the opening ceremony of the ’24 Hours for the Lord’ with a penitential celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, saw a participation of more than 300 faithful from around the village. Some of them had to walk a few kilometers from neighbouring villages to join this Lenten spiritual exercise.
“It is a meaningful spiritual journey back the Father during this Lenten season”, said a teary-eyed participant at the end of the Eucharistic Adoration.
This annual event is organized and promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.