Tripura’s first indigenous diocesan priest

April 25, 2014 - ‎The Catholic Diocese of Agartala, in northeast India, this week received its first ‘indigenous’ diocesan priest. Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala ordained Lawrence Lal Siamrema Darlong a priest at a Mass on 22 April, at the Good Shepherd Parish Church, Kathalcherra, in Tripura state. Over 2000 people from all parts of the state attended the occasion. The 27 year old priest is the eldest of the 3 children of Zonunthara Darlong and Sadhana Debbarma of New Kathalcherra village, 200 kms northeast of Agartala. He is the first from among the indigenous tribes of Tripura to be ordained a priest for the Diocese of Agartala. At the ordination, concelebrated with over 40 priests, Bishop Lumen spoke about the many qualities of Fr. Lawrence, but said he was a priest because God had chosen him to by His priest.
After his studies at the Holy Cross High School Kathalcherra, Fr. Lawrence joined the Jeevadhara Minor Seminary, at Champaknagar in 2000 and continued his studies at the Montfort School nearby. Lawrence did the rest of his studies in Shillong and Banglaore. ‎ (Source: AsiaNews)‎