History of St. Louis Church, Parish

In the beginning Tand Balidih Parish was under Bokaro Steel City Parish. The parishners and the mission of Tand Balidih were looked after Jesuit Fathers. In the year 1970 at Kurmidih a non-formal school was started by Lt. Fr. Lu Lachal SJ with five students. When Holy Cross School came up it became the Mass Centre for the faithful especially on Sundays and it is still continued for the same purpose. In the Year 1996 Tand Balidih Parish was separated from Bokaro Parish and became fully independent parish. Lt. Fr. Ignatius Barwa SJ was the first parish priest of the place. In the year 2009 Fr. Suresh Kindo SJ bought 2 acres of land from Mr. Ganesh Sing for the parish and girls’ hostel. At present the Church building is being built in the same land.

The faithful of the parish came here from all over Jharkhand in search of works and settled down thereafter. They are very cooperative and helpful in Church activities. Since it is a growing Church the faith and unity of the parishners is being taken care by the residing priests.

In the history of Tand Balidih parish on 21st June 2015 the parish entered in a new era because the mission of the parish was handed over to the Diocesan clergy of Hazaribag headed Rt. Rev. Bishop Anand Jojo. Lt. Fr. Vikram Tirkey was the first diocesan appointed Parish priest. Later Fr. Mathew I.C. was appointed as parish priest. At present Fr. Vijay Horo is the parish priest of Tand Balidih parish.

History of St. Mary’s Church, Bokaro Steel City

Fr. Lou Lachal S.J. was assigned to Bokaro Steel City as Parish Priest in 1972, was used to give the Pastoral Care to the Catholics of Bokaro Steel City and neighbourhood communities, residing at St. Xavier’s School Bokaro. Lou and his fellow pastors first bonded together under the Title “The Society of Christians” and approached the company officials, with their demand to have a plot of land for their community. In November 1972 all were assured of their needs. In 1974 foundation stone of Christian Centre was laid by Bishop George Saupin S.J. of Daltonganj Diocese. The Building was designed by Fr. F. Stevens S.J. of Ranchi Province. It saved all the Christian communities of Bokaro Steel City. In 2010 new plot of land was purchased by the Catholic community from the company; Foundation stone for the new Church was blessed and laid down by the Bishop of Hazaribag, Bishop Charles Soreng, S.J.

Catholic Ashram, Chandrapura

History of St. Joseph the Worker Church, Chandrapura

St. Joseph’s Church Chandrapura Parish was bifurcated from Bokaro Steel City. It comes under Chandrapura Thermal Power Station. It was established in 2001.

Catholic Ashram, Gomia

History of St. Joseph Church, Gomia

In 1956 Fr. Albert Verbracken, was looking after as Father -In-charge at Bokaro Tharmel. In July 1957 Fr. Michael Brady opted to replace Fr. Albert Verbracken who had left for Rome and Beligium. In the same year St. Mary’s Karo, (Kargali) St. Anthony’s School Jarangdih and Primary School at Pipradih were opened for the workers’ children. On 8th September 1957 Fr. Verbracken returned and made arrangements to transfer “Dhori Mata” from Dhori Colliery to St. Anthony’s Chapel at Jarangdih. In 1958 Fr. Albert Verbracken chose to move his residence to Gomia and began to build Loyola School and Pipradih Primary School was transferred to Gomia. Later Bokaro Thermal itself became the priest’s residence till 1980. In 1982 it got separated from Bokaro Thermal Parish and became a new Parish and Fr. George Monipally was appointed as first Parish Priest.

History of Dhori Mata Church, Jarangdih

Fr. Albert Verbracken S.J. was appointed as the pioneering parish priest of Bokaro Thermal. At the request of D.V.C., he invited the Apostolic Carmel Sisters to open a school. They happily agreed to have an educational ministry and so they were allotted a plot of land to establish a school. The parish bunglow was within this campus. Fr. Michael Brady S.J. was the successor Fr. Albert Verbracken S.J. He procured land for St. Mary’s School Karo, St. Anthony’s School Jarangdih and Piperadih Colliery.

Fr. Albert Verbracken S.J. was appointed as the pioneering parish priest of Bokaro Thermal. At the request of D.V.C., he invited the Apostolic Carmel Sisters to open a school. They happily agreed to have an educational ministry and so they were allotted a plot of land to establish a school. The parish bunglow was within this campus. Fr. Michael Brady S.J. was the successor Fr. Albert Verbracken S.J. He procured land for St. Mary’s School Karo, St. Anthony’s School Jarangdih and Piperadih Colliery.

History of Kajarkilo

Masi Mander Kajarkilo is a Santhal Parish. Located in Gomia Bokaro. It was the initiative of Fr. Hans Hendricks. Fr. Hans was working in Charhi area which was the first Santhal parish. Fr. Hans met a man name Bahira Marandi who had gone to visit his daughter at charhi. Bahira Marandi was very much impressed by Fr. Hans since he was talking in Santhali. So Bahira told him that Dudhmo area there are many Santhal village so he welcomed Fr. Hans to Charkitongry, Dudhmo. So, Hans visited the area and met many santhal elders who were happy to help him in his work. Fr. Hans bought 85 decimals of land at Dudhmo. Then pastoral Centre was built. Fr. Hans and his co-works stated talking about the Christ. And many families and people accepted Christianity because they wanted get rid of Bonga (evil spirit). In February, 1980 the first baptized people were Barku Joseph (Bahira Marandi) and Chotka Besra, Karamsirhi. By 1992 or before, the FCC had begun the school at Dudhmo, along with Dispensary. By 1994 the Middle school was underway in Kajarkilo. To tell the truth, it was the sisters who were the trail-blazers in Dudhmo-kajarkilo. Starting out in the village setting, they had to put up with the threat of chori-dakoiti, followed by the unreasonable demands of the sathi-bhai.

Catholic Ashram, Lalpania

History of St. John Mary Vianney Church, Lalpania

Lalpania was separated from Gomia parish and made a new parish which was officially inaugurated by Rt.Rev. Bishop Charles Soreng S.J. on 19th November 2012. Fr. Jai Prakash Das was appointed as the first parish priest of the Catholic Ashram Lalpania. This parish has 9 catholic families of different group and also few single male members working in the Power Plant.

St. John Mary Vianney is the Patron Saint of the parish. SCJM sisters are the Co – Collaborators of the mission work of the parish.

History of the Parish

The parish was started as an offshoot of Masi Mander, Kajarkilo, Bokaro. Though the work started in 2011, the main focus at that stage was more towards Lalpania area because there were few Catholic families around that place. The present property was bought and a primary school was started that has gone up to 10th standard. The school caters to the Santal Tribal community who are in majority in the area. As the school grew the Bhokta community, Karmali Community, OBCs and some Ghatwars are also attracted to the school. The center caters to a large geographical area reaching up to Jaina More in East, adjacent of Gomia in the North, and Gola in the West. Most of the Southern and South-Eastern part is taken care by Jaina More Mission Extension that started around three years back. A separate priest appointed for that mission who resides in St. Xavier’s, Bokaro community but ministries are still affiliated to Masi Mander, Patki. The Catholic community are only of the Santals. There are one or two Munda familes who have government job and attend Eucharistic celebrations here.

The old catechists those worked with Fr. Hans Hendriks S.J. have retired. The new catechists have been recruited but because of the lockdown last two years they have not been given opportunity for training. Pastoral work is done keeping the style of work of Fr. Hans Hendriks S.J. with some modification because of the kinds of area that we cover.

Since the work is new and community is spread over in large geographical area, the Centre has not been able to establish formal Catholic Sabha, Mahila Sangh or Yuva Sangh as such but the Centre has some sort of monthly meetings of the units and a written records of the decisions are maintained and carried out. Though there are elected Catholic Sabha and Mahila Sangh presidents ‘elected’ they remain almost non-functional for the lack of knowledge of the Units.