Archdiocese of Shillong

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong (Latin: Shillongensis) is a Catholic archdiocese with its jurisdiction in the two district of Ri Bhoi and East khasi Hills State of Meghalaya, in northeastern India. The Archdiocese of Shillong is also the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Shillong, an ecclesiastical province in Northeast India. It serves 346,060 followers in 49 parishes under 8 zones in the 2 districts. The rural parishes are usually divided into sub districts and further into "Balang shnong" or village churches (which are further divided into blocks for better management ) while urban parishes are divided into CMCs and balang dong in the district. The Archdiocese usually organised programmes, teaching and worship at Diocese level, Zonal Level, Parish level, CMC (Catholic Managing Committee)/ village level and Small Christian communities or Kynhun Balang barit (KBB).

History

• Established on 15 December 1889 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Assam on territory split off from the Diocese of Krishnagar
• 9 July 1934: Promoted as Diocese of Shillong
• Lost territory on 12 July 1951 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dibrugarh
• Lost territory on 16 January 1964 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tezpur
• 26 June 1969: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Gauhati–Shillong
• 22 January 1970: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong–Gauhati
• Lost territory on 1 March 1973 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tura
• Lost territory on 5 December 1983 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Diphu
• Lost territory on 30 March 1992 and renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong to establish the now Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guwahati
• Lost territory on 28 January 2006 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nongstoin
• Lost territory on 28 January 2006 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jowai

Cathedral

The cathedral of the Archdiocese is the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, in Shillong. It was built over 50 years ago. This place of worship stands on the very site of the first Church built by the German fathers (Salvatorians from Germany).

The earlier 1913 building – the Church of the Divine Saviour – was a wooden structure. It was destroyed in the Good Friday fire of 10 April 1936. Built by the first Catholic missionaries to set foot on these hills, the Salvatorians from Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral in what was then the Mission of Assam.

Ordinaries

The Catholic Church's presence in the northeastern region of India, particularly in Assam and Meghalaya, has been marked by a succession of ecclesiastical leaders. Beginning with Apostolic Prefects overseeing the early missionary efforts, the hierarchy evolved to include bishops and later metropolitan archbishops.

Apostolic Prefects of Assam

• Fr. Otto Hopfenmüller, Salvatorians (S.D.S.) (1890)
• Fr. Angelus Münzloher, (S.D.S.) (1890 - 1906)
• Fr. Cristoforo Becker, (S.D.S.) (1906 – 1921)
• Fr. Louis Mathias, S.D.B. (15 December 1922 – 9 July 1934 see below)

• Louis Mathias, S.D.B. (see above 9 July 1934 – 25 March 1935), later Metropolitan Archbishop of Madras (India) (1935.03.25 – 1952.11.13) and Metropolitan Archbishop of (renamed) Madras and Mylapore(India) (1952.11.13 – 1965.08.02)
• Stephen Ferrando, S.D.B. (26 November 1935 – 26 June 1969); previously Bishop of Krishnagar (India) (1934.07.09 – 1935.11.26), later Titular Archbishop of Troina (1969.06.26 – 1978.06.21)

• Hubert D Rosario, S.D.B. (1969.06.26 – 1970.01.22 see below), previously Bishop of Dibrugarh (India) (1964.07.06 – 1969.06.26)

• Hubert D’Rosario, S.D.B. (as above 26 June 1969 – 30 March 1992 see below)

• Hubert D’Rosario, S.D.B. (as above 30 March 1992 – 30 August 1994)
• Tarcisius Resto Phanrang, S.D.B. (2 August 1995 – 5 May 1999), previously Titular Bishop of Corniculana & Auxiliary Bishop of Shillong (India) (1990.06.11 – 1995.08.02)
• Dominic Jala, S.D.B. (22 December 1999 – 10 October 2019)
• Victor Lyngdoh^[1] , Diocesan (28 December 2020 – Present) , previously Bishop of Nongstoin and Jowai Dioceses
• Bernard Laloo^[2] , Diocesan (March 30, 2025 - Present ) , Auxiliary Bishop

Ecclesiastical Province of Shillong

The Shillong Archdiocese serves not only as an ecclesiastical seat but also as the metropolitan Archdiocese of the Shillong province. A province within the Catholic Church is a grouping of dioceses under the authority of an archbishop. In the case of the Shillong province, it comprises the Shillong Archdiocese itself, along with the Tura Diocese, Aizawl Diocese, Agartala Diocese, Jowai Diocese, and Nongstoin Diocese. This arrangement reflects the hierarchical structure of the Church, wherein archbishops oversee the administration and spiritual welfare of multiple dioceses within their respective province.

The Archbishop of Shillong though have no ruling power over the other dioceses but in disputes within a diocese of the province, the diocese may seek assistance from the metropolitan archdiocese of their ecclesiastical province where the metropolitan Archbishop may intervene under canon law.

The Province of Shillong comprises the following suffragan dioceses that has Shillong as its metropolitan see:

• Agartala
• Aizawl
• Jowai
• Nongstoin
• Tura

Parishes

The Archdiocese of Shillong comprises 49 parishes divided into 8 zones :

Diocesan institutions

Seminary

The Archdiocese of Shillong currently have the following seminary for men who aspire to be a Diocesan Priest :

1. St. Paul's Apostolic Seminary , Upper Shillong - A minor seminary and a prestigious seminary that has produced many great priests and bishops . This seminary is only for those studying in Class 8 to 10
2. St. Xavier Minor Seminary , Upper Shillong - a minor seminary for boys of Class 11 and 12
3. Christ King College , Shillong - a Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Shillong for Philosophical formation

Hospital

• Nazareth Hospital , Shillong^[4]

Schools

The administration of schools in the archdiocese is autonomously handle by the Parishes .

For example , the Parish School of Cathedral Parish is Divine Saviour Higher Secondary School , Shillong .

Higher Education

The Archdiocese currently has only one higher education institute in Ri Bhoi District , i.e. Balawan College offering Bachelor Degree program .

Saints and causes for canonisation

• Venerable Stephen Ferrando^[5],SDB
• Venerable Constantine Vendrame, SDB^[5]
• Lorenz Hopfenmuller (Otto)^[6],SDS

Laity Associations

The Archdiocese has many associations for the laity . These includes :

1. Shillong Archdiocese Catholic Youth Movement (SACYM) - For the youths
2. Synjuk ki Seng Rangbah Katholik Shillong Archdiocese - For married men
3. Synjuk Seng Kynthei Shillong Archdiocese - For married women

Sources and external links

• GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links [self-published]
• Catholic Hierarchy [self-published]
• Archdiocese website

25°34′N 91°53′E / 25.567°N 91.883°E / 25.567; 91.883