25 years of Capuchin Fathers serving at St. John Mary Vianney Church - Nehru
Nagar 1989-2014
St. John Mary Vianney Parish completed 25 years in Nehru Nagar and to
thank the Lord for the blessings and graces, there was a silver jubilee
thanksgiving Eucharist at Nehru Nagar on 2nd March 2014. The journey of the
Capuchin Fathers which began on 8th January 1989 in a rented house has
strengthened the faith of the Capuchins to serve the people of God and help
them to grow in faith.
His Grace Dr. Leo Cornelio SVD, the archbishop of Bhopal, Rev. Fr. Mathew VC
the Vicar General and Rev. Fr. Joseph Dolphy Pais were the chief guests on
this occasion. There were a number of priests, religious brothers and
sisters to grace this occasion. There was a gathering of about 500 people
who joined the Capuchins and the parishioners to thank God. The celebration
began with the Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration followed by cultural
programmes. The children, teen agers, youth and elders were the ones who
took part to entertain the gathering. During this cultural programme, the
chief guests, fathers, sisters, and brothers and invited dignitaries were
welcomed with flowers and shawls. 36 family heads who were the pioneers of
this parish were honoured on this occasion. It was nice to see the old
members of the Church sitting and interacting with each other.
A brief history of the parish was read out and the role of the Capuchin
Fathers highlighted.
Capuchin Presence in Nehru Nagar
On the invitation of Archbishop Eugene D’Souza the Capuchin Fathers arrived
in Bhopal on 6th October 1987 and stayed at Seva Sadan. Fr. Bertrand D’Cunha
and Br. Silverius Moras were the first ones to arrive. Fr. Canute D’Costa
joined them later. Towards the end of 1988 Archbishop Eugene told the
fathers to vacate the residence of Seva Sadan and in his letter dated 25th
November 1988 said that St. Theresa’s Seminary will be shifted from Ashta to
Seva Sadan premises and appointed fr. Samuel Kavil as the Parish Priest in
place of Fr. Bertrand D’Cunha. In the meeting held at Catholic Church Itarsi
on 20th December 1988 it was decided to move out to Nehru Nagar and to have
two small LIG quarters on rent to continue our apostolate. The Archbishop
Eugene in his letter dated 22nd December 1988 gave his sanction and
blessings for taking up residence in the Kotra-Sultanabad Sector in the city
of Bhopal sometimes in the month of December 1988. He also gave his
permission and blessing in the same letter to continue their efforts for the
establishment of a school in that area and accordingly they moved to Nehru
Nagar area and rented a house D-478 in Nehru Nagar, on 8.1.1989 in which
they remained till 8.5.1990. Archbishop Eugene in his letter dated 14th
January 1989 gave the permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the
house and gave his sanction to use the house as a Mass Centre. In their
letter dated 18th February 1989 Frs. Samuel Kavil, Joseph Thannipilly and
Mathew V.C. suggested on the proposal of Fr. Bertrand to divide the parish
from M.A.C.T. road via Matha mandir junction and Main Road No. 2, that
Sanjay Complex and its extension could be attached to Seva Sadan Parish as
it is very close to Seva Sadan. Archbishop in his letter dated 28th March
1989 suggested these areas as coming under Nehru Nagar Parish. They are:
Nehru Nagar, Kotra Sultanabad, M.A.C.T., Geetanjali Complex, Aradhana Nagar,
P&T Colony, Income Tax Colony, Police Quarters, Badhbadha, Government
Quarters and Saraswatin Nagar in lieu of Sanjay Complex, Kamla Nagar and
A.G. Colony. Archbishop also reiterated and said the main purpose for
wanting the Capuchins in Bhopal was for a school purpose.
The Pro-Chancellor Fr. Francis Scaria in his letter dated 20th August 1990
communicated the fathers that the Archbishop is pleased to name the parish
as St. John Mary Vianney Parish. Fr. Cantue obtained permission from the
Archbishop on 7th August 1993 for Fr. Jacob Vazhavelil SVD to function as
Parish Priest in his absence. Then they moved to D-490 Jr. MIG., on 8.5.1990
and remained till 1.8.1991. Next they moved to D-518 on 1.8.1991 and
remained there till 28.11.1991. From here they moved to C-107 MIG on
28.11.1991 and remained till 13.6.1996. Mean time Fr. Tarcy Mathias came to
Bhopal from Itarsi on 15.6.1992 and rendered service as Personal Secretary
to Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Eugene D’Souza MSFS till 31.10.1994. As the place
was not sufficient they rented another house in D-601 Jr. MIG to accommodate
Fr. Tarcy Mathias where they moved on 31.10.1994 and remained till
15.6.1996. Then they moved to C-108 MIG from 15.6.1996 to 7.9.1997 and also
to C.96 from 13.6.1996 to 29.12.1996
Fr. Maxim Pinto came on 1.6.1994 and stayed till 9.8.1995. Br. Isaac Baptist
came on 9.12.1995 as Deacon and remained till 27.4.1996. They he came as the
Parish Priest on 15.6.1996 and remained till 27.11.1996. Fr. Paul Pinto came
on 20.10.1996 as Parish Priest and was transferred to Itarsi on 20.2.1999.
Fr. Isaac Baptist Rodrigues came to D-47 as parish priest on 16.2.1999 and
then transferred to Itarsi on 5.6.2004. As fr. Alvito Cardoza who was to
arrive at St. John Mary Vianney Chruch, Nehru Nagar, Archbishop Pascal Topno
in his letter dated 18th March 1999 asked Fr. Vincent G. Furtado the then
Provincial Minister to permit fr. Alvita to teach at times in the minor
seminary and to be the assistant director of youth in the Archdiocese of
Bhopal.
Br. Sebastian D came as a Regent on 26.6.1999 and returned on 5.5.2001. Br.
Salvador came as a regent on 29.6.2000 and returned on 30.4.2001. Br. Maxim
D’Souza came as a Deacon on 29.12.2002 and was ordained priest on 2.5.2003.
He came back to the parish as a priest on 29.5.2003 and transferred to Japan
on 1.7.2004.
After the 2004 Provincial Chapter, the Maharashtra Vice Province was asked
to take care of the Bhopal Mission. Fr. Luis Pen came as a Parish Priest on
5.6.2004 till 20.8.2008 and he had to go back because of Cancer and he
passed away on 7.10.2004 in Mumbai. Br. Wilson Rumao came on 13.11.2004 as
Parish Priest and was transferred on 10.5.2005. Fr. Evarist Ferrira arrived
on 1.6.2005 as parish priest and was transferred on 30.5.2007. Fr. Philip
Gonsalves came as a member on 13.9.2005 and was transferred on 30.5.2006.
Fr. Kenneth D’Souza came as parish priest on 1.6.2007 and was transferred on
29.6.2008. Fr. Marian Miranda came as a Parish Priest on 22.8.2008. Mean
time Br. Darick Romathen D’Souza came as a regent on 22.8.2008 and returned
on 5.5.2009. Br. Ivan Gregory Dias came as regent on 29.6.2009 and returned
on 4.5.2010. Br. Preetham Mendonca came as a regent on 19.6.2010 and
returned on 6.5.2011. Fr. Santosh Menezes came as a member on 28.2.2011 and
was transferred on 26.12.2011. Br. Wilson Vijay Sequeira came as regent
16.6.2011 and returned on 5.5.2012. Br. Joy Mathias came as a Deacon on
16.12.2011 and returned on 2.4.2012. After ordination he came as a member on
19.6.2012 and was transferred to Itarsi on 27.5.2013. Fr. Isaac Baptist came
as member on 30.6.2013 and was transferred on 2.1.2014 to Nagaland. Besides
several fathers from SVD Bhavan and others extended their cooperation to
celebrate the Eucharist for the people whenever it was needed.
