At 90, Salesian needs 15 more years to finish Bible commentary work

GUWAHATI, Assam, Feb. 19, 2010, 11.00 Hrs (UCAN):

An Indian Salesian priest who has already celebrated his 90th birthday is praying for another 15 years to fulfill his mission.

Father Sylvanus Sngi Lyngdoh is into the 20th year of writing a Bible commentary in Khasi, a tribal language of Meghalaya state in northeastern India.

“God has to give me another 15 years to complete the work I have begun,” the Khasi dressed in traditional tribal turban and shawl.

Father Sngi began the work with the book of Hosea 20 years ago and has completed 28 books so far. He is currently working on St. Paul’s letter to Galatians.

“It is a very important book as it is a pastoral letter,” he says.

Shillong University in Meghalaya uses his commentaries on the books of Ruth and Job as textbooks, Pauline Sister Caroline Duia, a regular visitor to the priest, says.

Father Sngi first print-run of 3,000 copies of those volumes sold out within three months, the Khasi nun.

Protestants particularly appreciate Father Sngi’s writings, she said.

The Catholic priest has also written two dictionaries Hebrew-Khasi and Aramaic-Khasi for local Bible students.

Father Sngi, a former professor of theology at Sacred Heart College in the Meghalaya capital of Shillong, uses a laptop to write the commentary.

“See, my hands are not yet trembling,” he said with a boyish smile.

These days, the priest lives at the Salesian provincial House in Guwahati, Assam, to escape Shillong’s severe winter. He gets up at 3 a.m and works right through the day until he goes to bed at 9 p.m.

“Now that I cannot visit villages I have dedicated my time to writing. I have become a close collaborator of media missioners,” he said.

The priest insists that missioners who come from outside the area learn the local language so that they could be more effective.

Learning local language “is very important. Only then you can touch the hearts of the people. You must fill Assam Valley with Assamese Christian literature,” added Father Sngi who was ordained a priest 52 years ago in Italy by Salesian Bishop Michele Alberto Arduino.