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Aims and
Objectives
In keeping line with its
motto
“To Give
Light”
Oriens
Theological College aims to provide
an integral
Christian and priestly formation
and to promote
Theological Studies
through
scientific research
primarily but
not exclusively for candidates
of the
ecclesiastical provinces of north-east
India.
It seeks to
form committed persons
who will
continue the mission of Jesus,
a mission
rooted in the experience of God’s love,
striving to
bring all “people of good will”
into
fellowship of love and service carried out
in
collaboration with the religious and the
laity
in a Christian
community which reflects
the cultural,
religious and socio-economic reality
of our region
and the country. |
Introduction
Oriens Theological
College was started in 1979 as a study house
for the diocesan students of theology from the
dioceses of North East India. In 1986 the
College began to hold lectures in its own
premises and the Congregation for
Evangelization of Peoples raised it to the
status of an Inter-diocesan Seminary, with all
the Bishops of North East India as members of
the Governing Board. In the year 1990 it
became a full-fledged Seminary with four years
of Theology. Its statutes were approved by the
Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples on
4th December 1990. On 7th
December 1993 Oriens Theological College was
formally affiliated to the Pontifical Urban
University, Rome, with the decree (vide No.
442/93/7) of the Sacred Congregation for
Catholic Education. Since then, the Bachelor
of Theology ( B.Th.) degree has been conferred
on students who fulfill the basic requirement
of four years Theology.
Considering the special need of the region,
the College lays greater emphasis on the study
of Sacred Scripture, Missiology and Tribal
Anthropology. A centre for biblical studies
called "Christopher Becker Institute for
Biblical Studies" has been set up in the
College since 1986.
North
East India is predominantly tribal in
character and the vast majority of the
Christians in the region belong to the tribal
population. In order to facilitate the study
of their various cultures and religious
beliefs, a Cultural – Historical Centre also
has been set up in the College. The Museum
attached to this Centre has a rich and rare
collection of articles, depicting the life and
culture of the people of North East India. The
College also has a Documentation Centre,
particularly dealing with materials related to
the region.
 During its Silver
Jubilee Year (2003 - 2004), Oriens Theological
College has set up a publication department
and released its first publication during the
Jubilee celebrations (9 October 2004),
entitled Towards Building up the Local
Church : Priestly Ministry for 21st
Century. Oriens Theological College, on
behalf of the Diocesan Priests of the Region,
has been editing and publishing The
Diocesan Priest, a bi-annual, primarily
for contextual and pastoral reflection.
From its silver
jubilee year the College also has introduced
an annual award, dedicated to the loving
memory of late Archbishop of Shillong Most
Rev. Hubert D’Rosario, SDB, who was the
dynamic force and founder of the College. It
is given to the final year B. Th. student for
the overall academic excellence. The award
consists of a citation and a grant of Rs.
5001/-.
The
College has a fairly well established Library
with more than 25,000 Books and 175
Periodicals of different categories. Computer
net-work system has been installed within the
library complex to enable students free access
to books, authors, articles, and themes on
various subjects and to facilitate research
work. |
