RONGKHON (1985) C-1985
St John Bosco Patron
Tura Diocese
Bosco Mount
Rongkhon P.B. 28
Tura – 794 001, W. Garo Hills
Meghalaya
(03651)222468
98625 74382 Fr. Milon Narjary
Members
Cl. Marak Witna Asst. & St. BBA
Cl. Momin Chailush Asst. & St. BA
Fr. Narjary Milon Rector
Fr. Sangma Denis1 PP, VR
Cl. Syiem Primus PT I
Fr. Thryniang James Administrator
History
This pre-novitiate house of the province is situated at about a distance of 220 km. from Guwahati on the Guwahati – Tura – Dalu National Highway.
For the province of Guwahati, Savio Juniorate, Shillong, always served as the aspirantate and the pre-novitiate. In 1981, due to the non-availability of space as well as to give more attention to the new comers, classes VII and VIII were shifted to Umran. However, when MISEREOR, which had funded Umran as an agricultural school, objected to making it an aspirantate, the province had to take the aspirants back to Juniorate. Since there was no place for the aspirants and the pre-novices, the need was felt to open a separate pre-novitiate house. Soon it was proposed that the new pre-novitiate be opened in Garo Hills.
Hence, Fr. Mathai, the provincial, requested the Bishop of Tura for a plot of land. There was some sort of hesitancy from the diocese to part with a plot of land beyond Tura on the way to Garobadha. Eventually, Fr. Buccieri was asked to purchase a plot and the present site was bought. At that time, no one was aware of the fact that Rongkhon was a malaria–infested area and that it was listed by the World Health Organisation as one of the most malaria– infested places in the world.
Bishop Marengo SDB blessed the foundation stone for the building on 16 August 1984. At first, Fr. Joseph Parippil and later Fr. Edasserithottathil Augustine were asked to supervise the construction. The building was blessed on 17 October 1986. But the first batch of 7 boys entered the unfinished building on 24-01-1986 along with Fr. Francis Fernandez to prepare for the others who came on 06 February 1986. Altogether there were 74 boys and the first Rector was Fr. Kizhekechennadu Joseph.
RONGKHON PARISH (1985)
Holy Cross Patron
Tura Diocese
Holy Cross Church (1985)
Rongkhon, Tura – 794 002
W. Garo Hills, Meghalaya
(03651) 223543
Convent :
MSMHC – Don Bosco
(03651) 221591 (Convent)
223274 (School)
Members
Fr. E.P. Augustine PP
History
The parish has a Catholic population of 4,330 spread over 41 villages, almost entirely constituted of Garos.
The Holy Cross parish of Rongkhon was part of the Tura parish which was divided in 1986 when Bosco Mount, Rongkhon was started. It was with the hope that the Salesians in the institution could also exercise their pastoral ministry among the people of the nearby villages that the parish was started. It was the wish of Bishop George Mamalassery of Tura that the parish be named Holy Cross Church. Fr. Henry Frassy was its first parish priest. He was the pioneering missionary instrumental in opening the parish of Williamnagar in the East Garo Hills in 1977.
At the time of its establishment, it had 2,894 Catholics spread over some 40 villages. After nine years of work, there are about 4,400 Catholics. People of four villages became Baptists or left the faith but other villages have entered the faith. The parish has four primary schools. At the centre, there is also a boarding which houses 45 boys. The school at the centre is a proceeding high school. The Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, who came in 1988, look after the English Medium School and two Sisters also do the visiting of the villages.