[ Pisi Zauing ]
NEOTAN, Aug 10: Bishop George Palliparambil of the Miao diocese on Monday urged misguided youths of the Northeast states to give up drug addiction and return to the mainstream.
Addressing an event to mark the National Youth Sunday at the Sacred Heart parish church here in Changlang district, the bishop expressed deep concern over the menace of drug peddling and addiction in the NE states. In Arunachal, almost all the districts have become host to drug peddling and abuse.
“Our youths in most parts of the Northeast must rise above drug addictions, and stop living like a dead,” the bishop said, speaking on the theme ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’.
The Salesian prelate, who is also the chairman of the North East Regional Youth Commission, Palliparambil highlighted the implications of drug addiction on society and on the church.
“As long as the youths fail to rise above their addictions, the church will continue to suffer,” he said.
“Drug addiction among the youths undoubtedly weakens the society and the church, as a girl will not marry a drug addict, resulting in girls tying the knot with partners outside the church,” the bishop said.
Owing to the pandemic, the Youth Sunday of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India had to be celebrated keeping the SOPs in mind. Bible quiz, drawing, dancing, singing and photography competitions were conducted online.
The bishop gave away prizes to Annette Larchangsha Ngoruw of the Imphal archdiocese, Manipur, who won the first prize in solo dance, while Adiousbai Passah of the Jowai diocese in Meghalaya won the prize for singing, and Phoging Pansa of the Miao diocese won the prize for photography.
