Deacon Shohag Boniface Gabil, CSC has ordained to the Sacrament of Priesthood at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Sreemangal, on Jan 28, 2022, by Most Rev. Shorot Francis Gomes, the Bishop of Sylhet Diocese, Bangladesh. The ordination was preceded by the ceremony of blessing of Deacon Shohag Boniface Gabil, CSC on Jan 27, 2022 evening at the Parish. There was a good number of priests, religious, laity including the guests and relatives of the ordinandi present at the two-day long priestly ordination celebration. The ordination Mass was at 10:00 am on Jan 28 at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church. The Bishop emphasized on the importance of sacraments in our lives in the Church and the role of priests in mediating the Grace of God through the sacraments. The presence of current and former Provincials of Sacred Heart of Jesus Province marked the day. Both provincials and Fr Shohag acknowledged the role of the international Holy Cross in the formation of Fr Shohag. The newly ordained appreciated and acknowledged the generous support of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Holy Cross Mission Center USA, and the South India Province.
Fr. Shohag Boniface Gabil, CSC is the 5th priest from St Joseph the Worker Parish and the 2nd Holy Cross priest from SWorkerph the worker Parish, Sreemangal. Fr. Shohag Boniface Gabil, CSC hails from Kurma Punji, one of the remotest villages of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church. The deceased parents (Kamini Dikhar and Lucy Gabil) of Fr. Shohag Boniface Gabil, CSC left behind eleven children and Fr Shohag is the youngest of them. Fr. Shohag belongs to a Garo tribal community. The newly ordained priest offered his “Thanksgiving” Mass at home on Jan 29, 2022; Bishop Shorot Francis Gomes and a good number of Holy Cross priests were present at Fr. Shohag’s home for the Mass. It is to mention that Fr. Shohag is the first priest from his village (Kurma Punji) and the first Garo tribal priest from St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.
The Congregation of Holy Cross, especially the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province Bangladesh, delights in the priestly ordination of their second member from the Parish. Holy Cross religious have been working in the Sylhet diocese long before its inception. Fr. Shohag’s priestly ordination is the sign of the maturation of faith and the result of the hard work as well as self-giving Evangelization of Holy Cross missionaries in the area, says Fr George Kamal Rozario, CSC the provincial of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province, Bangladesh. The newly ordained priest is assigned to Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Jalchatra in the Mymensing diocese.
