Sr. Irene Zosiami MSMHC –

Guwahati: The year-long centennial celebration of the arrival of Venerable Stephen Ferrando, the iconic apostle to Northeast India and one of its longest-serving prelate officially began with a solemn inaugural function on Thursday at the Generalate of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC), Guwahati. The occasion also marked the centenary of his priestly ordination as a Salesian priest in the year 1923.

The hoisting of the centenary flag by Archbishop Emeritus of Guwahati, Thomas Menamparampil, initiated the centenary year was followed by a fitting floral tribute to Bishop Ferrando in front of his impressive portrait. The centenary lamp lighted by Sr. Philomena Mathew, the Superior General of the MSMHC will keep on burning throughout the centenary year. 

Archbishop Thomas who, as a young priest had a first-hand experience of Bishop Ferrando spoke of him with high esteem as “a great communicator” and applauded his incredible influence on the collective missionary spirit of the region. He said, “Amazingly, he played a bigger role in the collective missionary charism of the Northeast as most of the young priests at earlier times were trained by him.”

Sr. Philomena Mathew, the Superior General reaffirmed the significance of his arrival and said, “Had he not come who knows, where and what would have been the story of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians”. She continued, “Throughout the year we hope to keep alive his memory more intensely and more meaningfully by undertaking various grassroots charitable activities for the uplift of the poor, and the marginalized; empowerment of women and girls.”

Fr. Januarius Sangma, the Salesian Provincial of Guwahati Province admired Bishop Ferrando’s missionary dynamism who, as a “valiant son of Don Bosco reached out the length and breadth of Northeast rural areas and interacted with simple people.” He also wished and prayed, “Let him not remain as our priceless possession to Northeast alone, Salesian families and the MSMHC, but be declared a saint to become the role model to the whole world and imitated for his virtues.”

The MSMHC across the globe observed this day with great fervour in their respective provinces and mission stations by hoisting the centenary flag and organising prayers and Holy Mass.

The significant line of Salesian Rector Major, Fr. Philip Rinaldi’s letter, “You are to go to the Indian missions – Assam”, clearly destined the path of the newly ordained Fr. Ferrando. He as a young priest then had to spearhead the third batch of Salesian missionaries to Northeast India. With a group of young novices under his guard, he landed the exotic mission land of Assam from Italy on 22 December 1923, which was his maiden and ultimate mission. Since then, he breathed the air of the Northeast, enjoyed the enchanting beauty of the hills and valleys, smelled the fragrance of its flora and fauna and walked through the streets of its cities and villages with the vision and mission of serving the poorest and the marginalized. 

With his indomitable spirit, unflinching commitment, and love for the diverse – ethnic people, Bishop Ferrando walked the road less travelled, as a pioneer missioner to this pristine land of the Northeast and brought tremendous changes and growth in the society and the church. For an elongated 34 years as a prelate, he headed the vast and frontier mission of Northeast India which in those days was plagued by utter poverty, illiteracy, dearth of personnel and World War – II with its remnants of miseries. With his visionary astuteness and generous outreach to people even to the remotest corner of the village, he left an indelible imprint into the fabric of the society through the vast array of pastoral, developmental and charitable activities. 

The founding of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC), the first indigenous congregation in Northeast India was undoubtedly Bishop Ferrando’s ingenious and visionary response to the emerging needs and miseries of the people doubled by World War – II. He proved to be a wartime leader who led from the front and walked amidst his people in the darkest time. 

Today, the MSMHC spreads across 12 countries other than India and continues its charitable services to the people of varied cultures with a focus on women and children, the less privileged and the marginalized through various social, pastoral, educational and developmental activities.  

As an iconic apostle and champion for the cause of the poor, Northeast had found a true leader in Bishop Ferrando who by treading his path paved the way to the glorious morn of the church and the society in Northeast today.

A hundred year has gone by since Bishop Ferrando set his foot on the soil of the Northeast; and as the generation of his time is fading away into oblivion, the light of this iconic figure shines ever brighter with the continued works of his legacy. 

Now that the centenary flag is unfurled. The sight of it waving high in the vast canopy of the blue sky will be a perfect reminder of this great man who laid down his life for the people of Northeast India.