HISTORY OF AIZAWL DIOCESE

The Diocese of Aizawl was formerly known as the Diocese of Silchar. The Diocese of Silchar was made up of the districts of Cachar Hailakandi and Karimganj of Assam State, the entire Tripura and Mizoram States.The Diocese is bounded on the west by Bangladesh while the northern extremity wedges into the segment of a circle which touches from the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya to the North Cachar Hills of Assam, on the northern section of the east lies Manipur state, on the southern section the Chin Hills of Myanmar, on the south, the northern extremity of Arakan districts of Myanmar.

This ecclesiastical unit was established as the Prefecture Apostolic of Haflong by an Apostolic Brief “Fit Numquam” dated January 17,1952, and entrusted to the Holy Cross Fathers of the Canadian Province. By an Apostolic construction of Pope Paul VI ‘Omnium Sohcitudo’, dated June 26, 1969, the Prefecture of Haflong was raised to the status of a Diocese with the Episcopal See at Silchar. Most Rev Denzil D’Souza became the first Bishop of the Diocese of Silchar. In December 1983, the northern Cachar Hills district was detached from the Diocese of Silchar and joined to the new Diocese of Diphu.

On 7th February 1996 the entire State of Tripura was cut off from the Diocese of Silchar thereby forming the New Diocese of Agartala, of which Rev Fr Lumen Monteiro CSC, was appointed as its first Bishop. The remaining portion of Silchar Diocese comprises at present the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj (Barrak Valley) of Assam State and the entire State of Mizoram.  By the division of Silchar Diocese on 7th February 1996, it is henceforth to be called Aizawl Diocese, and its Episcopal See is transferred from Silchar to Aizawl.

Due to Bishop Denzil’s ill-health, on his resignation, Rt Rev. Lumen Monteiro, CSC was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of Aizawl Diocese. Bishop Denzil D’Souza went to eternal reward on the 25th Oct 2002. The new Bishop-elect, Fr. Stephen Roltuanga, CSC, was ordained Bishop on the 2nd February, 2002. Fr. Joachim Walder was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Aizawl on 28th May 2023.

HISTORY OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MIZORAM

In the year 1922, Mr. Aichhunga an Agriculture Demonstrator who had gone to Shillong for a training brought some books on Catholic faith. Among those who have read this book Lianchheua, Thangphunga, Lenga, Chalchhuna and Lalbana all from Tlangnuam area are expressing their willingness to convert into Catholicism and established Catholic Church in Mizoram on 1st February 1925. Thangphunga was nominated as the Leader. They use to have service in Lenga’s house. After establishment of the Church, Laldailova and his wife, Dr. Lalhuta, Chawnga and Hranghlilhlova also joined the Catholic Church. In order that the Catholic Church may be properly ogranised in Mizoram they approached Rev. Fr. Phileas Boulay who was is Chittagong. He assured them that they would come and visit the community there. He fulfilled this promised on 28th November 1925 as he reached Aizawl. He stayed in Aizawl for eight days. During his stay he baptised Joseph Francis Laldailova S/o Mr. Thangphunga and Mary Teresa Lalbiakthangi D/o Mr. Lenga on 6th December 1925. He then return again to Chittagong.

The Catholic Church member goes on increasing and reached around 200 members in the beginning of 1926. They felt the need of having a catechist. So, Thangphunga, Bula, Chawnga, Chalchhuna and Laltura left for Chittagong on 13th May 1926 in order to meet Rev. Fr. Boulay who is in Chittagong. He appointed them as the catechist and appointed Thangphunga as the secretary. Lianchheuva who is unable to go with them due to some serious reason is also appointed as a catechist. On 10th January 1927 they started preparing a place for constructing the Church which has now become the present location of Christ the King Cathedral. Hrangliana and Zaneihthanga came from Pherzawl village in Manipur in order to study more about Catholic faith. Then, they are employed by Mr. Mathew Laldailova for the construction of the Church. They finished constructing the Church in the month of February and the Church is constructed with bamboos. The Church is named as Christ the King Church.

On 20th August 1929, six people visited Badarpur and met Rev. Boulay who is the Vicar General of the Diocese. He then baptised them. They are Peter Thangphunga, John Chawnga, Jacob Manga, Paul Bula, Phillip Lianngura and Joseph Saitulera. Fr. Boulay also baptised Francis Thansanga and Anthony Chalthangvunga on 12th October 1930. Understanding the difficulty faced by the people Rev. Fr. L. Coggin the successor of Rev. Fr. Boulay grant permission to the Church leaders  to baptise the people who are at the point of death.

There was a strong opposition from the other churches existed in the Mizoram region for the growth of the Catholic Church. This in a  very large sense prohibits the priest to come and exercise their ministry in Mizoram. In the year 1935 after ten years have passed Rev. Fr. L. Goggin CSC came to visit Mizoram and stayed only for few days. The Bishop of Chittagong send Rev. Fr. A. Montegny CSC and Rev. Fr. Robert Lavoie CSC in order to study the real situations of the faithful in Mizoram. They reached Aizawl on 14th January 1946 and remained for one week and left Aizawl on 22nd January 1946. In the month of December the same year, the Assam Governor Office grant permission for the priest to reside in Mizoram. In the following year 15th April 1947, Rev. Fr. George Breen CSC and Bro. Gilbert Boucher CSC reached Mizoram and make the permanent presence of priests in Mizoram. They stayed in Kulikawn and looked after the whole state of Mizoram. This means that the whole state of Mizoram is under Christ the King Parish. So, Mizoram is regarded as the mission field and there is no establishment as an official parish at that time. The priest visited different villages where the Catholic faith has sparkled and numbered 57 villages in which the Catholic faithful are present.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PARISH

Christ the King Church, Kulikawn becomes the first and only parish for few years. Earlier it is also known as Aizawl Parish. On June 1951, St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Chhingchhip is erected. Then, St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Kolasib was erected on October 1953. In the year 1966 Mizoram becomes an insurgency, till then three Parishes were established in the state. As the time goes by, the number of parishes increases. From Christ the King Parish the following Parishes were erected – St. Mary’s Parish, Electric Veng in the year 1993, St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Sihphir in the year 1999 and Mary Mother of Compassion Parish, Sateek in the year 2011. Since the presence of the priests, there are now 24 parishes erected in the Diocese of Aizawl.

In the year 1996 on the 7th of February the Episcopal See is shifted from Silchar to Aizawl. The Diocese which is earlier known as Silchar Diocese is also renamed as the Diocese of Aizawl. Christ the King Parish is lifted as the Cathedral and even then it is known as Christ the King Cathedral Parish, Kulikawn.