SFS Catholic Mission, Bahalpur (Chapar)
Bahalpur, located in the taluk of Chapar Salkocha, is 65 km towards east from the district head quarter, Dhubri, in the State of Assam. Although the parish was canonically erected on March 3, 2003 it was in 2004 that the MSFS fathers took charge of the mission. The first Parish Priest Fr Anto Joseph of the diocese of Bongaigaon stayed at Bahalpur from October 2002 to 2004. Through his hard work and initiative, the present plot of land at Bahalpur was purchased and opened a school named St Jude School on January 22, 2003. Later in 2005 it was retitled as SFS School. On December 26, 2004 Fr Cherian Marottickathdathil msfs (2004-2010) took charge as the first parish priest. He was helped by Fr Jose Karipadathu for few months in the ministry. Soon Fr Cornelius Bara and Bro Pretap Kerketta joined the community. The present two-storey building of the school was built in phases starting in 2004 and ending in 2009. A dispensary was built in 2006, the convent for sisters in 2010, hostel for girls in 2007, while a hostel for boys was built in 2014. In 2010 the parish was entrusted permanently to the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales by Bishop Thomas Pulloppillil of Bongaigaon.
The parish named after St Jude has 1850 Catholics from 429 families spread out in eleven villages. The parish consists of seven Adivasi villages, four Garo villages, three Bodo families in Salkocha village, two Rajmunshi families and two Santal families in Gunaline. The parish always remembers with pride the successful conducting of the Mission Congress (coming together of five neighbouring parishes) which was inaugurated by the Most Rev. Thomas, Bishop of Bongaigaon, in 2013. The regular annual activities of the parish included parish council meetings, bible quiz competitions, marriage guidance course, youth animation programme, bible seminar for school going children, week long intensive preparation for the first communion and catechists’ picnic. Youth and Women Commissions are actively functioning in the parish.
Hostel
A Hostel for boys and girls was established from the very beginning of the school in 2004 with limited facilities. There were 24 hostellers (boys and girls) in the hostel. All of them were from Adivasi Tribe. The Girls stayed under the care of the Fathers till the girls’ hostel was completed in 2007. A new building for boys’ hostel was blessed and inaugurated on October 17, 2014 by our beloved Superior General, Fr Abraham Vettuvelil. There are over 50 boys as hostellers.
Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SH)
The sisters of The Congregation of the Sacred Heart are the collaborators in mission here. The sisters are fully involved in the fields of pastoral, educational, charitable and social activities. Two sisters are involved in the school, two are in pastoral ministry while one sister runs a dispensary. A hostel for girls is run by them.
|
SL. NO |
PARISH PRIEST |
YEAR |
|
1 |
Cherian Marottickathadathil |
2004-2010 |
|
2 |
John Bosco Khakha |
2010-2012 |
|
3 |
Jiji Konthananickal |
2012 |
|
4 |
George Pekkadankuzhiyil |
2012- 2016 |
|
5 |
Albert Sahayaraj |
2016 -2020 |
|
6 |
Stephen Marayikulam (Sr) |
2020 - |
|
SL. NO |
ASST. PARISH PRIEST |
YEAR |
|
1 |
Cornelius Bara |
2005-2007/ 2009-2010 |
|
2 |
Jobin Kallakulam |
2008-2009 |
|
3 |
George Pekkadankuzhiyil |
2011- 2013 |
|
4 |
Saji Kaippallil |
2011-2014 |
|
5 |
Albert Sahayaraj |
2014 - 2020 |
|
|
|
|
