Jharkhand’s Minister for Finance and Public distribution Rameshwar Oraon on May 5 made a surprise visit to the Ranchi Archbishop’s House to thank the Catholic Church’s works among those affected by the nationwide lockdown.

The minister met Jesuit Archbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi and his Auxiliary Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas and hailed the Church’s “tremendous and wonderful humanitarian activity.”

He said the government was impressed and grateful to the Catholic community for its selfless and dedicated service to suffering humanity.

The Minister was accompanied by his son Rohit. The Church in Ranchi has collaborated with Deputy Commissioner Rai Mahimapat Rai and the district administration to bring relief to the poor during the Covid-19 crisis.

The priests and nuns of the archdiocese have opened 14 shelters each with a capacity for 200 migrants in Church-managed schools. The Church meets the expenses for the shelters.

The district authorities have commended the centres as model shelters with excellent management. They also portray the merciful human face of service, the administration agrees.

The Church’s community kitchens in Ranchi have so far served more than 40,000 meals.

The Church has distributed some 270,000 rations to more than 5,000 families in the poorer areas of the city and 23 villages in the Namkum, Mandar, Angara, Bero, and Ranchi Blocks.

The Church also distributed 600 PPE (Primary Protective Equipment) kits containing reusable gloves, reusable masks, sanitizers and soaps to the frontline workers in the containment area of Hinpiri.

Beneficiaries included ambulance drivers, sweepers and police personnel. The archdiocese also distributed PPE to 600 police personnel serving on roads and streets.