The Queen of Peace Parish, Amalarem

Queen of Peace Parish, locally known as Ka Syiem Jingsuk, is located at Amlarem, the sub-divisional headquarters of the War-Jaintia region in Meghalaya, under the Archdiocese of Shillong. The majority of the population belongs to the War tribe, a sub-tribe of the Khasi community. While the people speak their own dialect, Khasi serves as the official language of the area.

The parish holds a special place in the history of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) as it was the first parish entrusted to the congregation in the Archdiocese of Shillong. The MSFS presence in the region began in 1992 with the establishment of the MSFS Study House. Soon after, Amlarem was entrusted to the MSFS and bifurcated from Jowai Parish.

Fr. Johny Kuttikottayil, MSFS, a veteran missionary, was sent to pioneer the mission. Along with Deacon Sabu Francis, he began the mission work in Amlarem, and on December 18, 1993, they established the first MSFS community in the Jaintia Hills. The parish was formally erected on August 28, 1994, under the title Queen of Peace (Ka Syiem Jingsuk).

When the MSFS began their mission, the War-Jaintia population was about 35,000, with only around 2,500 Catholics. Over the years, the parish witnessed remarkable growth. By 2015, the Catholic population had grown to over 6,000 faithful from about 900 families across 45 villages. Many churches were built in different villages to serve the growing Catholic community.

The parish is vibrant and active in faith life. Regular parish activities include daily Eucharist, Sunday catechism classes, association meetings, annual parish celebrations, and pastoral visits to families. Several parish associations are actively involved in community life, including the Fathers’ Association (Seng Longpa), Mothers’ Association (Seng Longkime), Youth Association (Seng Samla), and Children’s Association (Seng Khynnah).

Visitation Sisters of Don Bosco (VSDB)

The Visitation Sisters of Don Bosco (VSDB) have been closely associated with the mission since 1989. They manage Ka Syiem Jingsuk School and contribute significantly to the educational and pastoral development of the community. Their collaboration with the MSFS missionaries has played a vital role in strengthening the mission and promoting the growth of faith in the region.