Scottish Catholic Observer

While it may seem strange that the Church’s work is vital in a country where Christians make up but a small minority of the population, visiting his remote diocese with SCIAF proves his words to be true.

Gumla Diocese was erected by Pope John Paul II, with territory taken from Ranchi Archdiocese, and is home to of 110,00 people and around 25,000 of them are Christian, a huge proportion by Indian standards. Bishop Lakra knows the area very well.

“I am a proper local,” he told the SCO. “The parish I was born in is only five minutes away from the house I live in as a bishop. No other Indian bishop is as close to his home parish, I think.”

It is clear that he cares deeply about his flock in this remote area, where the highly wooded mountains and lack of roads made it very difficult for outsiders to access many villages. These villages are home to tribal people, who are by and large outside mainstream Indian society.

“We are still tribal,” the bishops said. “We are Christian now but we are still a tribal people.”

In his role the bishop has to deal with problems most Scottish bishops would find highly unusual, such as helping a priest whose home had been destroyed by wild elephants. However, in one area his priorities are no different than any bishop’s.

“My main focus is education,” he said. “We have 28 high schools and 250 primary schools in this diocese and that is my main focus. Some of the children here are very poor, education can be the best way to support them.”

This educational focus, along with the work of Caritas India in the area to help desperately poor farmers sustain themselves and their families, speaks to the truth in Bishop Lakra’s claim that the Church is needed in the area.

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