Catholic Ashram, Chatra

History of St. Theresa of Child Jesus Church, Chatra

In 1960 Fr. Foster S.J. was appointed Parish Priest of Hazaribag, in place of Fr. Phil Mclnerney S.J. Fr. Ken made regular visit to Christian houses and villages. He found at Mardanpur, near Chatra Town, many Adivasis settlers from Ranchi district whom Fr. De Meulder had encouraged them to occupy the land, he had arranged for them in 1950. Fr. Ken was ably assisted by Fr. Peter Lewis S.J. Later Fr. Louis Lachal S.J. & Fr. Hans Hendricks visited the place and bought the land for the Parish and school.

In 07/02/ 1974 Fr. Fulgence Kujur was appointed as the parish Priest who with the help of Br. Francis Xaxa S.J. built the Church and hostel for Boys. The Church building was blessed on 3 October 1974. He served the faithful of Chatra till 01/06/1988. After him Fr. Steve Delly S.J. Fr. IC Mathew, Fr. Thomas S.J., Fr. M pakiam S.J., Fr. Moris Sangs, Fr. Mathaw Manipadan, Fr. Maria Swamy, Fr. Gyan Chand Prasad, Fr. Tomy A, J., Fr. Jai Prakash, Fr. George Chittady, Fr. Karma Kachhap and Fr. Vijay Tete were the successive Parish Priests. In 2015, during Fr. Vijay Tete the new Church Building was built and blessed on 04/10/2015 by Rt. Rev. Bishop Anand Jojo, the bishop of Hazaribag. At present Fr. Nabor is the Parish Priest.

Date of establishment	1970 By Fr. Hans Hendricks S.J.
Patron Saint	St. Theresa of Child Jesus.
Pioneer Parish Priest	Fr. Fulgence Kujur
Present Parish Priest	Fr. Nabore Kujur.
Assistant P.P.	Fr. Telesphor Bara
Address	Catholic Ashram, Chatra P.O. & Dt. Chatra – 825 401 Jharkhand
Parish Association
Catholic Sabha President	Mr. Vijay Sanga
Mahila Sangh President	Mrs. Anuradha Tirkey
Yuva Sangh President	Mr. Vinay Minz
Crusveer Animator	Mrs. Rashmi Lakra

Catholic Ashram, Hario

History of St. Joseph’s Church, Hario

In 1930, a man named Bora Oraon from Kachabari-Lodhma had come to work in Hazaribag. Those days kurmi-mahto people from Pakrar-Torar also used to go to work in Hazaribag in the same location where Bora Oraon used to work. Kurmi-Mahtos were attracted to Bora Oraon so they invited him to Pakrar (west to Hazaribag) to stay with them. After staying some days at Pakrar, they brought him to Torar and showed him the land to own. Those days, the forest was so thick around and there were many wild animals like tigers, deers and wolfs etc. People were scared of tigers coming and hunting the domestic animals. Bora Oraon also was scared of tiger and ran away back to his village kachabari.

It was landlord governing system. So some men of kurmi-Mahto community went to king of Ramgarh to pay revenues of the land in around 1932. As they were in Ramgarh, they remembered Bora Oraon. They decided to go in search of him as per the address he had told them about his village when he used to stay with them.They went to Ranchi and then Lodhma. At Lodhma, it was market day. They asked about Bora Oraon to people and shopkeepers at Lodhma. After discovering him, they brought him back to Torar with 9 more persons from Kachabari-Lodhma. Some of these were Bora Oraon, Narsigh Oraon, Karma Oraon, Chaita Oraon, Judha Oroan, Harua Oraon etc. They were never let go back to their ancestral place thereafter. Among 10 of them Chaita Oraon-Philip Ekka was the SPG Christian. In 1935, when Fr Benne was the parish priest of Hazaribag, used to frequent the areas of Torar, Danto, Jori, Jamuary since there were some munda and oraon people. In 1940 Fr Saubolle , as the parish priest of Hazaribag also used to visit this place. In 1948, When Fr Saubolle sj was replaced by Fr Edward De Meulder sj and Fr De Meulder started his mission work to this area from Hazaribag. Fr De Meulder contacted munda and oraon people of this area. He went on to visit this place very often. All those first 10 settlers of Kachabari were attracted to Fr De Meulder. All these were bapised by Fr De meulder in around 1949-1950. He used to visit his flocks once in a month and offer the holy Eucharist with them under a banyan tree where a government school exists now. After Fr Edward De Meulder, many priests like Fr Kevin Grogan sj, Fr Mc Inerney, Fr Lou Lachal, Fr Forster and Hans Hendricks followed the mission of looking after of the sheep till 1973. In 1973 Fr Pathalandy became the first diocesan parish priest of Hazaribag. Thenceforth Fr Maurice Sanga, Fr Tony Homem sj, Fr Gaudentius KOngari sj, Fr Philip Crotty, Fr Fulgence Kujur took care of the parish unit from Hazaribag till 1995. By now faithful had grown to a larger number and into many village units. Fr Gaudentius Kongari SJ was again appointed the parish priest of Hazaribag in 1995 and during his time he built a priests’ residence at Hario in 1997 foreseeing a new parish as a little child coming out of the mother- womb of Hazaribag parish. Then the bell was rang in the bishop’s House and resounded the message declaring Hario as a complete parish in December, 2000. Fr George Xalxo was declared as the first parish priest of Hario. It was joyful news for the faithful of Hario who used to go far away Hazaribag parish for all big festivals. Fr George Xalxo was welcomed as the first parish priest of Hario on 19 December, 2000 in the presence of Bishop Charles Soreng. The faithful were filled with joy and big expectation and hope. Fr George started his mission with zeal and commitment. The Hario parish started growing under the guidance and care of Fr George Xalxo.

The following priests have been appointed as the parish priests and Parish In-charges of Hario Parish till the present day:

• Fr George Xalxo ( Dec. 19, 2000 – April 10, 2012)
• Fr Michael Lakra (April 10, 2012 – May 26, 2015)
• Fr Manoj Tirkey ( May 26, 2015 – January 28, 2017)
• Fr Sudhir Toppo (January 28, 2017 – January 31, 2019)
• Fr Nelson Mundu (January 31, 2019 – June 28, 2019)
• Fr Xavier Jai Prakash Das ( June 28, 2019 – January 18, 2021)
• Fr Ambrose Kisku ( January 18, 2021)

Date of establishment	1997
Patron Saint	St. Joseph, the worker
Pioneer Parish Priest	Fr. Gaudentius Kongari S.J.
Present Parish Priest	Fr. Sunil Bara
Assistant P.P.	Fr Ireneus Tete
Address	Catholic Ashram, Hario P.O. Shila, Dt. Chatra – 825 401, Jharkhand
No. of Catholic families	250
No. of Catholics	2500
Parish Association
Catholic Sabha President	Mr Suleman Bilung
Mahila Sangh President	Mrs Anima Baxla
Yuva Sangh President	Mr Manish Baxla
Crusveer Animator	Mr Suleman Ekka

Catholic Ashram, Mandair

History of St. Joseph’s Church, Mandair

Tribal families mostly oraons, who had migrated from Ranchi District of Mandar came in contact with Fr. Soenes S.J. the parish priest of Hazaribag in 1933. Later Fr. Delvaux S.J. who founded Chandwa mission in 1937 visited them. In 1960 Fr. Michael Brady S.J. and Jim Thwaits extended his tours from Bhurkunda beyond Boitka and Bartua. In Brady’s time a plot of Land for a mission was acquired and chapels were erected at Mandair and in several villages in the neighbourhood. In 1968 Archbishop Pius Kerketta of Ranchi detached the area from Bhurkunda and placed it under the care of Chandwa. Later it was looked after by the priest resident at Lapra. In November 1971 Fr. A Minj of Ranchi moved out from Lapra and began living at Mandair. During Fr. Peter Lewis term as Bhurkunda Parish Priest, Mandair was handed back to Bhurkunda. In 1976 Fr. Peter Lewis handed over Mandair to Chatra Parish, when Fr. Fulgence Kujur was the incharge of Chatra. In 1980 Fr. Thomas Joseph S.J. was appointed to gain pastoral experiences. In April 1981 he was called back and Fr. Tony Herbert S.J. made a regular visit to Mandair, while priests and seminarians of the Diocese spent occasional short periods in residence there. In November 1981 Fr. A.T. Thomas S.J. was sent for pastoral experience who proposed in the Deanery meeting at Chatra to make a traditional parish. In 1982 April he was confirmed as resident priest and Father Incharge at Mandair. In 1983 Sisters of Charity of Nazareth were invited, who laid the foundation to establish the parish. Fr. A.T. Thomas S.J. remained till mid-July 1985 and buildings of the parish school were completed. Fr. M.D. Abraham built the new parish residence and the Church.

Date of establishment	1971
Patron Saint	St. Joseph, the Worker
Pioneer Priest	Fr. A. Minj
Present Parish Priest	Fr. Mukti Minj
Co - Pastors	Fr. Ambros Kisku
Address	Catholic Ashram Mandair Vill. – Mandair, P.O. Raham via Tandwa Dist – Chatra – 825 321, State – Jharkhand
No. of Catholic families	250
No. of Catholics	891
Parish Association
Catholic Sabha President	Mr. Isidore Tirkey
Mahila Sangh President	Mrs. Goreti Minj
Yuva Sangh President	Mr Mukesh Tigga
Crusveer Animator	Raymon Soreng

Catholic Ashram, Jori

History of Catholic Ashram, Jori

Jori is surrounded by thick jungle. It is 35 kilometers away from Hazaribag. Now at present, it comes under Chatra District. In 1930 some oraons came from Ranchi and settled down in Jori. In 1940 Fr. Saubolle was appointed as the parish priest of Hazaribag. He brought some forty Mundas families. Among them some were catholics and other Sarnas. He contacted the Landlord to settle them. In 1940 they made a village Chapel where Sunday Mass and community prayer were conducted by a priest from Hazaribag parish. Every month the Holy Eucharist was offered for the villagers in the village chapel. In 1953 about 2 acres of land was bought for the parish in the name of Fr. Lou Lachal. In 1940 the school was started under the guidance of Hazaribag Jesuits. In 2010 Bp. Charles Soreng S.J. appointed Fr. Ephrem as the incharge of Jori area and through his efforts and interest the boundry of the land is complete and school building is in progress.

Date of establishment	15th May, 2010
Patron Saint	St. Augustine
Feast Day	28th August
Pioneer Priest	Fr. A. Minj
Present Parish Priest	Fr. Ephrem Tigga
Assistant P.P.	N/A
Address	St. Augustine Church, Jori P.O.Duari, Dist – Chatra, Jharkhand
No. of Catholic families	131
No. of Catholics	1009
Parish Association
Catholic Sabha President	Mr. Stephan Tirkey
Mahila Sangh President	Mrs. Suchita Tigga
Yuva Sangh President	Mr. Esrail Tuti
Crusveer Animator	Mrs. Neelam Toppo