SHILLONG: The Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dominic Jala died in a road accident in the USA on Friday.
The Acting Chancellor of Archdiocese of Shillong, Fr Jimmy Marngar said that Most Rev. Dominic Jala passed away in a road accident in the Colusa County, Oakland, California, United States of America.
He said that after the Ad Limina visit of the Bishops of North East India in Rome, he had gone to the US to attend a meeting of the ICEL (International Commission for English Liturgy) and to meet some of his friends.
The accident occurred at 10.30 a.m. IST on October 11 while he was travelling with two other priests: Fr . Mathew Vellankal and Fr. Joseph Parekatt. While the Archbishop and Fr.Mathew Vellankal died on the spot, Fr. Joseph is admitted in the hospital with serious injuries but stable.
It may be mentioned that Most Rev. Dominic Jala, was born on 12 July 1951 at Mawlai in the Archdiocese of Shillong and was appointed the Archbishop of the same diocese in December 1999.
He took charge of the Archdiocese on 2 April 2000 and at the transfer of Bishop Victor Lyngdoh to the diocese of Jowai in 2016, Archbishop Dominic Jala was also appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Nongstoin.
Before being appointed Archbishop, he was the Provincial of the Salesians of Don Bosco of Guwahati Province and he was actively involved in all matters connected with the Church in North East India and CBCI.
He was a member Secretary of the International Commission for English Liturgy (Washington DC) which translated and brought out the new Text of the Holy Mass of the Catholic Church.
Since two years he has been a member of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and Sacraments. From 2012 to 2019 (September), he was the chairman of the North East India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC)
He was also the chairman of the Liturgical commission of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India for several years.
“We entrust his soul into the hands of his creator. The Archdiocese is awaiting the news regarding the arrival of the mortal remains. Information regarding the funeral will be communicated later on,” Marngar said while adding that there will be concelebrated requiem Mass in the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians every day at 5.30 pm till the mortal remains arrives in Shillong.
Meanwhile, John Madur. Administrator of Diocesian, said that it would take around 4-5 days for the mortal remains to arrive here in Shillong since there are lot of formalities which have to be conducted in USA.