The life of Manipur Christians "is illuminated by faith"
Sister Mabel Culpeper belongs to the Congregation of Saint Joseph of Annecy. She has taught for two years at a school near the parish of St Teresa. She is impressed by the strong bond among local Christians, who help each other at every opportunity. They "are hungry for the Word of God".
Imphal (AsiaNews) – The life of Christians in Manipur, in northeast India, "is illuminated by faith in God," Sister Mabel Culpeper told AsiaNews.
For two years, the nun from the of the Congregation of Saint Joseph of Annecy has been working in one of the parishes of the Archdiocese of Imphal. When she arrived, she was "impressed by the ties within the Christian community, where everyone helps and supports each other."
Sister Mabel teaches at a school near the parish of St Teresa in Tuaitengphi, Churachandpur District. "Here Christians, Catholics and other denominations, have very strong bonds of unity,” she explained.
“Their bond during deaths or other disasters is impressive. When there is a tragedy of any kind, they support each other both spiritually and financially, even if they are poor. This shows their deep faith."
The nun, along with three other sisters, also takes care of the pastoral and social work of the parish.
"The villagers are hungry for the Word of God,” she noted. “People are eager to read the Bible and strengthen their faith in the family. For this reason, we visit families in the villages and organise various activities on a regular basis."
As for the role of catechesis, the nun believes that "one of the main priorities is to pass on the faith and develop education. In this regard, the parish is in charge of children’s education and teaching the faith. These are the most important aspects of its apostolate."
Locally, there are also sporadic tensions among tribal groups, Sister Mabel admits. "The Church,” she said, “is committed to bringing peace and reconciliation to the region. We hope that Mother Teresa, who was canonised on 4 September by Pope Francis, will always intercede for our people here in Manipur."
.png)
