Articles
Ntheo Louis Yanthan: A Pastor, a Catechist and a Pioneer Catholic
Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang | 07-May-2023
Late Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan of Lakhuti Village was a Baptist Pastor, who later embraced Catholic Faith and became one of the longest serving Catechist in the Diocese of Kohima, Nagaland. He served as a Baptist Pastor and Catholic Catechist for 35 (thirty five) years. He was Born on 20th March, 1921 and lived over a 100 years, till he called it a day on April1, 2021.
According to “A Brief history of the Catholic Church in Nagaland” (Dr. David Symlieh) Yanthan was “Perhaps, the first Catechist in Nagaland”. The Catechist is a person of faith who led others in understanding the faith and of the Church. The role of the catechist is a vital ministry to the Church. It is a gift that has tremendous value to the local communities because through the catechist’s word and action, the message of Christ continues to find places in the hearts of communities. Formally speaking, catechists are defined in canon law as “lay members of the Christians faithful, duly instructed and outstanding in Christian life, who devote themselves to setting forth the teachings of the Gospel and organizing liturgies and works of charity under the direction of a missionary or Priests.”
As a full time Catechist, late Ntheo Louis Yanthan also played vital role in the spreading the Catholic Faith in Lakhuti Area. He was in the forefront in giving Faith formation to the people of the area. Because of the shortage of clergy, the Catechist play a vital role in leading the services, visiting the houses, visiting the sick members, ministering during the naming ceremonies of the a new born child, administering weddings, performing the burial services and attending to all the needs of the faithful. The catechists offer, especially in mission territories, an outstanding and absolutely necessary contribution to the spread of the Faith and the Church.
It is very Unique that Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan was a Baptist Pastor, who later turned into a Catholic Catechist. One of the greatest achievements of Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan was to convert the entire Lakhuti Village into Christians. On 12th March, 1950, when he was interviewed by the Baptist Ekhumkho General meeting, along with three other candidtes, Ntheo Louis Yanthan vowed that “if given the chance, I will make Lakhuti village a fully Christian Village”. On 19th March 1950, he was selected and appointed as Pastor of Lakhuti Baptist Church. Those years, the Pagan families were two third majority in the village. The Pagan Families were more than 150 families and the Baptist Congregation was around 50 families. As Pastor of the Baptist Church, he made a routine and visited at least 2 or 3 Pagan families every day as a part of his evangelization work and attended to their needs as well. Many of them were converted to Baptist Church during his Pastor-ship.
However, many of the Pagan families also expressed and shared that they would not like to accept JAHA DHORUM (Tea Religion - Baptist) and expressed that they would like to be in SOKO EYUI DHORUM (Rice beer religion), if there is such Dhorum or religion. Hence, many Pagan families did not accept Baptist religion and preferred to remain as pagans, since they could not part away with their daily food habit of taking SOKO (Rice Beer).
In the beginning there was a stiff opposition to the Baptist Faith by the Pagan Families. Many Baptist Missionaries and Choir Members from Ao Changki Village used to often visit the different Khels of Lakhuti Village in order to bring the pagans to Christianity. According to Mr. Etungo Yanthan, when the Catholics started the Catholic Church in 1951, his Khel, Phangtilan Khel, the biggest Khel in Lakhuti village had only one Baptist Family. But, the Christian missionaries from both the Churches brought the valuable concepts of hygiene, cleanliness, education, medicine and helped the village people to abandon superstitions and those beliefs which were counter-productive for the people who were suffering.
Christianity was an influential mediator for the Social change through education, health care, development, governmental employments, etc. The acceptance of Christianity brought changes in the other aspects of their life like festivals, organization of village, life-cycle beliefs and practices, personality development and social life, ideals and aspirations, dance, dormitory, religious status of women, economic life, health and hygiene and also changes in the realm of ideas and attitudes.
The period 1950 -1955 was also years of uncertainty for the American Baptist Missionaries in the Naga Hills. After the Indian Independence, the newly formed Indian Government policy was becoming more and more against the presence of foreigners in the area, and the missionaries were not sure for how long they would still be permitted to work among the Nagas. To this uncertainty was added what Rev. Howard Houston called “the amazingly persistent infiltration of the Catholics into our once privileged Baptist sanctuary of the Naga Hills”. Rev. Howard Houston was referring to the first Catholic Convert group, led by the three Catholics, namely, Shampano Humtsoe, Yantsao Yanthan, and Chenisao Humtsoe from Lakhuti village. Those years, the number of Catholics was steadily growing at Lakhuti Village.
The first contact with the Lothas by the Catholic Fathers was at Golaghat in 1946 when Rev. Fr. Nyams employed a large group of men to clear the jungle for the mission station. But this contact did not lead anywhere. In the meantime other developments were taking place in the Lotha area. The controversy at Lakhuti Baptist Church started in the light of the Lotha Baptist Church Council’s (KBCC) circular to give a yearly increment of Rupees 2.50 towards the salary of the village pastors (under the Lotha Baptist Church Council). The three were in favour of following the directive. However, the rest of the ‘Official Board’ (that is, the Lakhuti local church’s administrative council, the deacons, treasurer and secretary) were against it ‘as they felt that they do not have enough resources to do so.’ Unable to resolve the dispute by themselves, the KBCC was invited. Three representatives of the council, Mr. Phantheo Shitiri (Chairman), Mr. Nphyo Kikon (Secretary) and Mr. Ahamo Patton (Evangelist) came and investigated the case in October 1950. The verdict was given against the three, accusing them of ‘disobedience to the majority decision of the Lakhuti Church Official Board.’ This decision was evidently taken on the basis of the Naga cultural way of making decisions whereby the majority decision was considered binding.
In the light of the verdict against them, on October 1950, the family members of the three (twenty one in number) took a resolution to approach the Catholic Church. And to seek an advice on the matter, they travelled to Wokha Vankhosung, the headquarter Lotha Baptist Mission Centre on Nov 1950. Firstly, they went to wokha and met Rev. Howard Houston, the American missionary. They told him that they had been excommunicated from the Baptist Church and were now on the way to accept the Catholic Faith. Hearing this Rev. Howard Houston was at a loss for a moment. Then he told them that he too had been a Catholic but had changed his allegiance to the Catholic Church because of his wife. He told them to follow their own conscience and gave them his blessing. Then they met Mr. Nchemo Kinghen, the Chairman of the ‘Lotha Bench Court’. When they shared with him their desire, he was not serious. He asked them how much money they had in order to establish a New Church. One of them retorted, “We have no money, but we are healthy”. Then he told them that there was No Restriction on the profession of any religion in the Constitution of India. Thus he encouraged them to go ahead with their plans. Thirdly they met Mr. Mhondamo Kithan, the President of the Lotha Tribal Council. He too told them that he has No objection to their plan of starting the Catholic Church in Lakhuti village. Rather, he even helped them financially.
Encouraged by meeting all the important persons in the Lotha area, the three of them proceeded to Golaghat in Assam to meet the Catholic Priest. They went to Koragaun (Assam) where they met the Catholic Christians of the neighboring Adivasi Catholic Community. Along with the Catechist of Koragaon, they went to Golaghat (Assam). They arrived at Golaghat on 28th December 1950 and met the Catholic Priest. Rev. Fr. Bollini, Italian Catholic Priest, wrote in his diary: “At about 8 O’clock in the evening five Nagas from Lakhuti village came and said to me, 'we have come from a village called Lakhuti in the Lotha area, and we have come to enquire about the Catholic Church’. That night and the following day they spent in discussion on the teachings and practices of the Catholic faith. They carried religious articles such as crucifixes and Holy water and went back to their village”.
The second visit to Golaghat was on 11th April 1951. Rev. Fr Bollini welcomed three of them and taught them about the Catholic Church and the Sacraments. The next day they were Officially given a Reception to the Catholic Church by Rev. Fr. O’ Marengo. Thus these three Lothas, Shampano Humtsoe, Yantsao Yanthan and Chenisao Humtsoe, became one of the first group from Nagaland to be converted to the Catholic Church. They were already given Baptism at Lakhuti Baptist Church. Therefore, there was no re-baptism in the Catholic Church at Golaghat. They returned home on 15th April 1951 and declared that they are now officially Catholics and have accepted the teachings of Catholic Faith. On 1st May 1951, after constructing a small thatched house at Lakhuti Village, they had their first religious service. Soon many joined the new congregation resulting in the baptism of more than 200 men, women and children on 28th November 1953 at Lakhuti village by Bishop O’ Marengo, the then Bishop of Dibrugarh.
To prevent the Lothas from becoming Catholics, a general meeting of the Lotha Baptist Church Council was called on 16th March 1951. Thirty six delegates took part in the deliberations and passed a number of resolutions. Still the Lotha Catholic community grew steadily in the years that followed. Even though there were many difficulties and challenges, the response to the Catholic Church among the Lothas of Lakhuti was encouraging. Without a priest and a full time catechist, their numbers increased. Firstly, Lt. Mr. Nkonshio Humtsoe and later, Lt. Mr. Ranzamo Humtsoe, Lt. Peter Yanthan and Lt. Yantsao Yanthan also temporarily served as a Catechist and touring Catechist in leading the new Catholic Community of Lakhuti village from 1951- 1954. Lt. Mr. Nkonshio Humtsoe was very helpful in translating some of the Catholic Church teachings into Lotha language and they helped the visiting Catholic Priests in administrating the Sacraments in the village Church.
Rev. Fr. Bollini, the Priest stationed at Golaghat could not visit the Catholics of Lotha Naga Hills, because he was a foreigner. However, in March 1953, he was given permission to visit Lakhuti village, where he spent three days. This was also the time when the Catholic Faith was in its formative stage. Gradually, from Lakhuti, the Catholic Church began to spread to other Lotha villages, like Sunglup Village, Akuk Village, Mekokla Village and Wokha Areas. The then Bishop O’ Marengo took a personal interest in the Lotha Catholic Mission, by learning their language and visiting them often. In 1954, Rev. Fr. John Larrea, a Spanish Salesian Priest, was put in charge of the Lotha Naga Mission. However Rev. Fr. John Larrea continued to be based at Golaghat, Assam, from where he engaged in periodical visitations for preaching, administering baptisms, film shows and Catechisms. Since Rev. Fr. Larrea was stationed at Golaghat, after every visit to the Naga Hills, he brought in around 93 Naga boys mainly from Lakhuti Village to study at Golaghat Catholic Mission Center.
Lt. Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan was a Baptist Pastor during the years, 1950-1951. It was during these years that he came in contact with the Catholic Priests who visited Lakhuti Village from Golaghat, Assam. After listening to their talks and teachings, studying and understanding the Catholic teachings, he was inspired and realized that it is only through the Catholic Church that he will be able to fulfill the Great Vow he had taken before the Baptist Congregation on 12th March, 1950, the day of Pastor-ship interview. The Baptist Church has replaced Rice Beer with the Tea, which made it difficult for the Pagans to convert to Christianity. Whereas, the Catholic Priests were very accommodative in allowing those who took rice beer to join the Catholic Faith.
Hence, in 1953 Lt. Catechist Ntheo Lious Yanthan embraced the Catholic Faith. After his conversion to the Catholic Faith, Lt. Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan attended Catechist Training at Dibrugarh, Assam, the then Bishop's House. He also attended many, short and long term courses at Catechist School, Golaghat, Assam, from time to time as per the need of the situation. Lt. Catechist Louis Ntheo Yanthan was appointed as the first full time trained Catechist only in 1955. He also attended the Catechist Training at Good Shepherd Seminary Dimapur organized by the Diocese of Kohima. This was the time when connectivity, communication, danger from wildlife etc. was at the bottleneck. It was during these training years, that he learned a lot about the One, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic Church. He felt so blessed to be trained personally at the initial stage under the Foreign Missionaries, like Rev. Fr Bollini, Rev. Fr. Marengo, Rev. Fr. Ravalico and Rev. Fr. John Larrea (The Father of Lothas).
The role of the catechists and lay Catholic witnesses is evident that during 1955 to 1958, when the Catholic Priests could not visit Nagaland due to the political situation. The Christian Missionaries were accused of harboring the Naga Nationalist and promoting Naga Nationalism. The Catholic population in the Lotha Naga areas, increased from 415 in 1955 to 1,165 in 1958. It was during his tenure as Catechist in 1960s and 1970s, that many Pagan families joined the Catholic Church and Baptist Church. So many people experienced miracles in the village. He went around with the Holy water, praying over the sick members of the village and blessing the haunted areas.
It was also a difficult time as Naga political groups and the Indian army continued to clash regularly. In 1970s, there was a Second Wave of Great Revival taking placed all over Nagaland. Those who have become Christians were leading a happy and prosperous life, while the conditions of the Pagan families were getting worst. In Nov 1972, the Government of India had initially refused Rev. Billy Graham, the permission to visit Nagaland. Then a strife-torn state, Nagaland saw skirmishes before and during the crusades, but the government authorities did not deem these sufficient reasons to cancel the event in part, because more than 100,000 people had come to Kohima for the Great Revival “from all over the region and were causing less trouble than they expected”. The God Fearing Christian believers were different. It was during this period that many Pagan families all over Nagaland embraced Christianity. Many Pagan families of Lakhuti Village joined the Catholic and Baptist Church during this period of the Second Wave of the Great Revival of 1970s.
The commitment made by Lt. Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan before the Baptist Church Congregation was made possible and fulfilled only in 1975, just before the Year of the Catholic Silver Jubilee. The last Pagan Chief (Pvuti) Mr. Khumlamo Humtsoe and his Pagan family along with five other Pagan families of Lakhuti Village were baptized to Catholic Faith. This was made possible after rendering for 25 years of continuous service as Baptist Pastor and Catechist. Lt. Catechist Ntheo Lious Yanthan, served as the full time Catechist of Lakhuti Village from 1955 to 1981 without a break. He was again requested to serve the Church as Touring Catechist from 1988 to 1995. Christ has died for the salvation of all people, and on the third day after his cruel death, God raised him to new life and exalted him as Lord; and in order to be saved, one must believe in him as the Savior of the world (Acts 2:22-24; 36-39).
Lt. Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan is blessed with four sons and two daughters. His son Rev. Fr. Yanlamo SJ is the First Jesuit Priest from Nagaland. The eldest Son and the eldest daughter have retired from active government services and the remaining children are still working in the government sectors. God has mightily blessed all the family members of Lt. Catechist Ntheo Louis Yanthan. He has left a legacy for generations to come. As Catechist, he was also instrumental in bringing in Don Bosco School to Lakhuti Village. He not only educated his Children, but also went around the houses, requesting the parents to send their Children to Don Bosco School. It still stands as the gateway to the outside world for the people of Lakhuti village.
The introduction of modern education in Lakhuti village brought about drastic and significant changes in the social, cultural, political, economic and religious life of the villagers. It marked the end of a long period of isolation and the beginning of a new age. Through the teachings and preaching of the Christian workers, both Catholic and Baptist Teachers, it changed the vengeful and villainous customs of the villagers with the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. It ushered the village into a new era, an era of peace, freedom, security, progress and stability in the life of the village people.
There is a venerable scholastic axiom that teaches, “You cannot give what you do not have.” The ministry of the catechist is a crucial ministry in the pastoral life of every parish. There is much that a catechist can do in preparing oneself theologically for participating competently and confidently in the Church’s ministry of handing on the faith. However, there is no better spiritual preparation for the catechetical task than to cultivate a deep appreciation and love for the Holy Eucharist. It is in the Holy Eucharist where the catechist will encounter the Lord Jesus and grow steadily in her or his own love relationship with the Divine Teacher.
The word catechist comes from a Greek word meaning "to echo". Catechists echo the Word of God. Catechists come from all walks of life and all ages: women, men, confirmed teenagers, parents, grandparents, singles, and religious. Catechists are not expert teachers or brilliant theologians. They are ordinary people, just like us, who generously volunteer their time to share our Catholic faith, values, and traditions with our youngest generation of Christians and to walk beside/bear witness to them. They are positive role models who help others to grow in faith, spirituality and their relationship with God. Their gift of time and talents has tremendous value, because through their words, actions, and expression of love for their community, the message of Jesus Christ continues to spread throughout the world.
"Catechists are people who keep the memory of God alive, they keep it alive in themselves and are able to revive it in others”(POPE FRANCIS)
With contributions from : Mr. Echung Yanthan, Mr. Woshamo Yanthan, Rev. Fr. Yanlumo, Mr. Clement Catechist, Mr. Marcus Humtsoe, Mr. Daniel Yanthan, Mr. Etongo Yanthan and Ms. Rita Humtsoe.
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The Author is a Priest in the Diocese of Kohima
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