Shillong, July 5: Emeritus Bishop of Tura George Mamalassery (92) passed away on Friday around 2.20 am.
Auxiliary Bishop of Tura Jose Chirackal informed that the funeral rites of the first Tura Bishop will be held on July 8 at 1 pm in Sacred Heart Shrine, Tura. The burial will be in the tomb prepared in Cathedral Church.
Varkey (Bishop George) was born on April 23, 1932 as the youngest of the three children of Kurian and Elizabeth Mamalassery, at Kalathoor, Kottayam district in Kerala. He lost his mother at the age of 12. After his school studies, he joined Sacred Heart Seminary at Poonamallee for the Diocese of Madras-Mylapore where he completed his minor and major seminary studies from 1950 to 1960. While a student at Poonamallee, impelled by the desire to work as a missionary, he volunteered to serve in the North East. Late Rev Louis Mathias ordained him a priest on April 24,1960.
Hardships in remote, hazardous, hilly terrain of Garo Hills infested with malaria
As desired, he was then sent to work as a missionary in Garo Hills, in the Arch-Diocese of Shillong-Guwahati. Garo Hills at that time was a remote, hazardous, hilly terrain of Assam infested with malaria and wild animals. After serving as an assistant parish priest in Tura, Dalu and Baghmara for 10 years, in 1970 he was made the parish priest of Dalu, bordering Bangladesh. During the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971, Bishop George reached out to the displaced people and accommodated the homeless in his parish in Dalu, providing them with food, clothing, shelter and rehabilitation.
On February 8, 1979 the Pope appointed Fr. George Mamalassery as the first Bishop of Tura. He was consecrated Bishop on March 18, 1979 at Don Bosco School Grounds, Tura.
As Bishop of Tura, apart from fully enhancing the 14 existing centres with necessary parish infrastructure, he opened 23 new parishes with churches, presbyteries, convents, dispensaries, hostels for girls and boys, and school in each of them.
Contribution in social, educational and health care sectors
During the 28 years as Bishop of Tura, apart from rendering spiritual and moral leadership, Bishop George contributed much to the development of Garo Hills, undertaking many initiatives in social, educational and health care sectors. He has to his credit, 57 L.P. schools, 35 M.E. schools, 16 secondary schools, 2 higher secondary schools, 24 girls’ hostels and 23 boys’ hostels, spread all over Garo Hills. Knowing fully well that one of the urgent needs of Garo Hills was to have an excellent college, in 1988 he invited the Salesians of Don Bosco to open the Don Bosco College at Tura. Later in his episcopal ministry, he extended invitation to the Jesuits to open a college at Williamnagar, obtained land for the college and even built the Higher Secondary School building in the college land.
Founder of several institutions
His concern for the sick and the suffering prompted him to establish more than 20 dispensaries in the rural areas of Garo Hills and the 150 bed Holy Cross Hospital at Tura. During his tenure as Bishop, he financed the training of dozens of nurses in Garo Hills so that these in turn could enhance the health of the people living in villages.
The establishment of the Rino Simonetti Nursing School for general nursing and two old-age homes for the poor and the destitute, one at Tura and the other at Williamnagar, were major steps in improving the health care in Garo Hills. It was he who invited the Montfort brothers to establish the Montfort Centre for the physically challenged at Danakgre. The diocesan social service center (Bakdil) under his patronage grew into being a major NGO involved in various welfare and people empowerment programmes in Garo Hills. In collaboration with the government, be built a residential school for drop-out girl children (KGBV School) at Jengjal, the first of its kind in Meghalaya.
Many accolades
Bishop George retired in 2007 but continued to serve the diocese in various ways residing at the priest’s home. He celebrated holy Mass daily in the Holy Cross hospital convent and took active interest in the development of the hospital. He continued to draw building plans, visit work sites and help to lay out parish infrastructure. He supervised daily the work of the new Diocesan Pastoral Centre until its completion in 2019. For his contribution in the field of education, health care and socio-economic development in Meghalaya, Bishop George was nominated by the Government of Meghalaya and recognised him with Pa Togan Sangma award and an honorary doctorate by the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya in 2019.
Last days
In late 2022, a pace maker had to be placed on him to regulate his heartbeat. He developed fungal infection in his lungs early this year and was taking treatment. In April 2024 soon after his 92nd birthday, he developed severe breathing problems and had to be supported with oxygen. As his condition worsened, he was shifted to the ICU of the Holy Cross Hospital on June 23. While in the hospital, Bishops of the region, Dr. Neil Bordoloi of Excelcare, Agatha Sangma, former MP, Thomas A Sangma, Speaker of Meghalaya, Marcuise N Marak, PHE Minister, Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister, priests, religious and numerous men and women from various walks of life visited him. His close relatives accompanied him in the last days of his life.
