As early as December 2009 in the first month of Divine Margherita Ministries, a family from Manipur visited Margherita for prayer and shared about the Manipur situations which brought an increased interest about Manipur in the mind of Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) the Director and through him in the Divine Margherita team. On and off, prayers were offered for Manipur at Divine Margherita. This continued for till 20th July 2012, when Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.), accompanied by Fr. Augustine Puthiyedath visited Manipur for the first time and met the Archbishop of Imphal His Grace Dominic Lumon and communicated the desire to begin a ministry of preaching and evangelization in the Archdiocese to which the Archbishop hints his preference to invite Marymatha Province of Vincentian Congregation as they were there already in Kohima. However, the will of God was something different and on 1st September 2014, Fr. John Kandathinkara the Provincial Superior of St. Thomas Province got a mail from Fr. Paul Puthuva, the Provincial Superior of Marymatha Province forwarding a scanned copy of the invitation of the Archbishop of Imphal to Marymatha Province to start a Retreat Centre in Manipur.
Fr. Paul Puthuva in his letter affirmed that for the given situation, the Provincial Council of Marymatha Province has decided not to have one more centre in the North East and so they thought of referring the proposal to St. Thomas Province for the consideration. He further stated that the Archbishop wants only to have a Centre as per the Charism of the Vincentian Congregation and he recommended that St. Thomas Province to give due consideration to the proposal if interested.
The Provincial Administration took sometimes for the will of God for this mission to be revealed. Meanwhile, on 26th February 2015, Fr. John Kandathinkara the Provincial Superior got a mail from Msgr. Louis Pallikkunnel, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Imphal, inviting the St. Thomas Province to the Archdiocese of Imphal to learn and study the possibilities of starting a Retreat Centre in Manipur at the earliest.
Even though the Provincial entrusted the mission of finding out the possibilities of future Manipur Mission to Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.), he and his team could not make a trip to Imphal due the pre-booked retreat programs. However, on 19th July 2015, having received the mandate to find out the scope of the Vincentian Mission in Manipur, Divine Margherita team led by Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) and accompanied by Frs. Paul Kottaram, Birender Kujur and Yesudas travelled to Manipur braving heavy rains.
On the way, they meet with an accident and a great miraculous escape manifesting the Divine Glory. On the third anniversary of their first meeting with Archbishop Dominic, (20th July 2012), Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) and team again met the Archbishop and he took them to a proposed land in Churachandpur at Zoumun village near Khuga dam area. Though a very beautiful land, the team returned requesting for some other place because of the distance it has from Imphal (almost 70 km) and also because of the doubt that the predominantly Kuki dominated area may alienate the Naga population from coming to attend retreat programs.
This idea was further affirmed on 13th February 2016 when Fr. Varghese Naickomparampil the Asst. Provincial Superior visited Imphal and met the Archbishop Dominic Lumon, accompanied by Frs. Varghese Parayil, Joseph Edattu and Mathew Muthirakalayil. They informed the Archbishop of the willingness of the Province to begin ministry in the Archdiocese provided we get a better suitable land.
In June 2016, the Salesians of Dimapur Province conveyed their willingness to offer their abandoned novitiate house and land at Ngarian hills in Imphal for the purpose of a Retreat Centre. They were waiting for permission from Rector Major to dispose of it. Hence on 27th September 2016, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) spoke to Archbishop over phone to let him know of the Salesian's offer of the land. The Archbishop informed him that he had just gave the permission on the same day morning to CM Fathers to start a prayer centre in Pangmol Manipur, presuming that we the Vincentians were not interested in starting ministry in the Archdiocese. However, the Archbishop welcomed us again saying that the presence of the Congregation of Mission is not going to affect our mission.
Ministry and Mission
On 14th December 2016, the Provincial Administration made the final decision to start the Mission and Ministry in Manipur. Fr. John Kandathinkara, the Provincial Superior along with Frs. Johnson Karingen, the Provincial Procurator, Jose Parekkattil, Varghese Parayil, Devassy Puthussery, Sebastian Kalluvelil, Joseph Azhiyakunnel and Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) visited the proposed Salesian property at Ngarian and then met the Archbishop expressing our consent to begin the ministry. As result, on 5th January 2017, the Archbishop Dominic Lumon sent the official written invitation to the Provincial Superior of St. Thomas Province to start ministry in the Archdiocese using the Salesian land at Ngarian. However, the Archdiocese did not offer any arrangements for the priest or team members for the initial stay. It again brought the delay in taking up the mission as there was lack of clarity regarding the start of the Manipur Mission.
God's ways are innumerable and the Divine Providence offered another occasion for the initiation of His Mission in Manipur through St. Thomas Province. From 26th June to 1st July 2017, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) preached Priests' retreat in Imphal where 65 priests of the Archdiocese attended. It gave the right atmosphere and ambience to begin the ministry. A doubt about Ngarian land arises and a new proposal of a land in the Kuki village Urangpat, Yangangpokpi was brought in by Fr. Stanislaus, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese. Again, in the month of 3rd October 2017 Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) together with Fr. Yesudas and a team from Margherita came to preach retreat in the Don Bosco College Maram and visited Imphal, and the proposed lands in Ngarian and Urangpat.
The new Administrative Team of the Province elected in May 2017 continued to be interested in Manipur Mission. Hence in December 2017, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) was officially appointed to initiate the works in Manipur and on 12th December 2017 Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) left Margherita and reached Imphal to take up the ministry in Manipur and preaches parish retreats in Ukhrul and Tamenglong. On 21st December 2017, Fr. Varghese Puthussery, the Provincial Superior and Fr. Sebastian Kallath, the Provincial Procurator visited Imphal and together with Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) met the Archbishop. By now, it is found out that the Salesians doesn't hold any more the land papers of Ngarian land. So the Archbishop rejected the proposal of starting the ministry in Ngarian hills. On the Christmas day of 2017, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) visited Urangpat village with Fr. Joy KD a priest of the Archdiocese of Imphal and the chief of the village gives a great welcome. Feels like Urangpat on the way to Ukhrul is the final choice for the retreat centre. Then Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) left for personal retreats and preaching missions abroad that he had taken up long ago.
On 8th April 2018, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) returns to Imphal to resume the ministry. Welcomed by Fr. Joy K.D. the Parish Priest; Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) started staying in St. Anthony's Parish Church, Muirei on 11st April 2018. Daily Eucharistic Adoration from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm is started at Muirei Parish. On 22nd April 2018, Frs. Sebastian Veluthedathukattil and Sebastian Kalluvelil came to Muirei. The deal of the land in Urangpat supposed to be on 23rd gets cancelled because of the intervention of underground group (KNA). On 5th May 2018, Divine Glory First Saturday Convention started in Muirei and there were more than 200 people to attend the Saturday Convention. On 7th July 2018, Fr. Riji from Senapati came to Muirei to attend the first Saturday Convention and offered a plot of land for the Retreat Centre in Senapati. So, on 10th July, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) with the SH sisters from Muirei, went to see Senapati. A small plot of land, insufficient for a Retreat Centre was ready to be given for the Vincentians. Seeing no scope for a retreat centre there Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) and team returned and continued praying for the will of God to be revealed for our Mission in Manipur.
In July 2018, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) had to be admitted for minor operation in St. Stephens Hospital Delhi for rectifying the obstructive sleep apnea and on 28th July 2018, in the post-operative ICU in St. Stephens Delhi, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) gets a vision of shuttling between Senapati and Churachandpur. The whole notion of one Retreat Centre in Manipur is getting a surprising shift. Lord inspires to begin a Prayer Tower in Senapati and the Retreat Centre in Churachandpur both under Divine Glory Ministries; one in the Naga area and the second one in Kuki area. Fr. Varghese Puthussery and the Provincial Administration agreed the proposal of two centres. Hence, Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.) met the Archbishop Dominic Lumon on 2nd October 2018 and presented the idea of two centres under Divine Glory Ministry which was accepted happily by His Grace. Having a foothold in the Catholic dominated Naga area of Senapati, accepting the otherwise distant Kuki dominated land Churachandpur as the place for Residential Retreats is meaningful and a really God sent message for Manipur.
On 6th February 2019, in the presence of Fr. Varghese Puthussery, the Provincial Superior of St. Thomas Province, Fr. Augustine Puthiyedath the Councillor for Popular Mission and Retreats, and Fr. Thomas Emprayil (Jr.), the Founding Director of Divine Glory Ministries, Archbishop Dominic Lumon laid the foundation of Divine Glory Prayer Tower, Senapati. The Vicar General of the Archdiocese, Msgr. John Kashiprii, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Fr. Solomon and the Parish Priest of Senapati Fr. Riji George were all present. The agreement between the Archdiocese and the Province regarding the Divine glory ministry is signed!! Praise the Lord.
On 26th February 2019, Fr. Thomas and team start staying in the new rented house close to the proposed Prayer Tower site. Fr. Sebastian Kallath blesses the house and thanked all the priests for their help and presence. On 13th April 2019, Divine Glory Second Saturday prayer started in Senapati. On 15th June 2019, Fr. Joseph Puthenpura joins the Divine Glory team in Senapati and a Vincentian community life and ministry continues to thrive after the initial challenges. The construction work for the Divine Glory Prayer Tower continues to progress steadily.
Conclusion
Divine Glory Ministry Manipur is going to be a mighty instrument in His hands to bring about a great renewal in the lives and families of thousands of people. Lord is already manifesting His Mighty Glory. Let all Glory be to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen