Efforts on to bring mortal remains of Archbishop Dominic Jala to Shillong

Shillong, Oct 15 (UNI) All efforts are being made to bring the mortals remains of Archbishop Dominic Jala who was killed in a tragic car crash at San Francisco in United Sates of America on October 10.

Archbishop Jala, 68, died on the spot, along with another Catholic priest, at Colusa county, Oakland, California. Another priest was critically injured.

I have spoken to the Consul General of India Sanjay Panda at San Francisco in USA regarding the demise of Archbishop Dominic Jala. He told me that the process to release the body may take three to four days, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said.

Sangma said that all logistics support including transportation of the mortal remains by Air India has been organized.

Our entire Meghalaya House team in Delhi is ready and on standby to ensure that the mortal remains are brought back to Shillong so that we can all pay our last respects, he said.

Former Union Minister Vincent H. Pala, who is the Shillong Lok Sabha member, has also flown to San Francisco on Tuesday morning to oversee the smooth handing over the mortal remains of Archbishop Jala to the church authorities besides airlifting the body to Shillong.

Pala was also in touch with Indias Ambasador to UNited States of America Harsh Vardhan Shringla on the matter.

The Archbishop was in USA for a meeting of the International Commission for English Liturgy (ICEL) and to meet some of his priest friends, after he participated in the Ad Limina (meeting of Bishops/Archbishops from different Dioceses with the Pope once in five years) in Rome.

He had left Shillong for Rome on September 17.