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HISTORY :
The present
Ecclesiastical Unit of Balasore is the outcome
of a gradual and systematic growth from a mere
Mission Station to a Prefecture Apostolic to a
Diocese, as though it were from infancy to
adolescence to maturity. The Church of Balasore
may not claim yet to be matured especially in
the Ecclesial life, in the life of the
Christians in which it is still in the infant
stage.
When we consider the Evangelistic History of
Balasore, we need to see it in 3 different
stages (I) Pre-Prefecture Apostolic stage, (II)
Prefecture Apostolic stage and (III) Diocesan
stage.
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THE
BEGINNINGS - TILL 1968 A.D.:
Historical data about the Pre-Prefecture
Apostolic stage of Balasore are very scanty.
However, from the few records that are
available, it can be asserted that the
discovery of the sea-route from Europe to
India by the renowned Portuguese navigator
Vasco de Gama in 1498 and the following
invasion of the Portuguese traders to India,
have played a vital role in the beginning of
Christianity (Catholicism) in Orissa,
particularly in Balasore region.
Those Portuguese traders who were chased
away from the Madras coast by the local
people for fear of being over powered by
them travelled North-wards, came and settled
themselves in PIPILI, an ancient port and a
possible trading centre near Subarnarekha
River opening to the sea in Balasore
District in the year 1514. Together with
those Portuguese traders who were Catholics,
also came Catholic religion to Balasore
District in Orissa. Thus PIPILI (not the
present Pipili in Puri District) in Balasore
District became the cradle of Catholicism in
Balasore, from the beginning of the 16th
century A.D. and it began to grow and spread
gradually. Nearness to the sea and
conveyance through river made PIPILI thrive
in business and it attracted more and more
Portuguese to that place.
Following the entry of Vasco de Gama, Goa
became a Portuguese settlement with several
Portuguese Catholics residing there. In
1534, Goa was erected a Catholic Diocese by
Pope Paul III, entrusting it to the
Augustinian Missionaries of Portugal with
territorial Ecclesiastical jurisdiction from
Africa to Japan including India for
evangelization. Thus the Augustinian
Missionaries from Goa began to visit PIPILI
from 1535 to attend to the spiritual needs
of the Portuguese settlers there. In the
year 1606, the Augustinians built a small
church in PIPILI dedicating it to Our Lady
of the Holy Rosary. By the end of the 17th
century, Pipili became a strong Catholic
Christian centre and they began to spread
even to the neighboring Balasore which was
by then already a small town. Those
Portuguese were mostly sea-men and merchants
who were at sea for almost 6 months of the
year from January to July, trading mostly
with the far-east in salt, pepper, butter,
sugar, wax, soft clothes etc. Their presence
in Pipili was really felt only during the
six months of the year from August to
December when trading was less due to bad
weather. Ill-luck had it that by the year
1625 Pipili with its ancient port and
trading centre was eaten up by the sea,
rendering the Portuguese merchants leave the
place to the neighbouring Balasore town.
Pipili in Balasore District is no more in
existence now. Together with the traders the
Augustinian Missionaries too shifted to
Balasore. It is recorded that in 1640, the
Augustinians had built another Church in
Balasore dedicating it once again to Our
Lady of the Holy Rosary. Those Augustinians
had worked in Balasore until 1699 when they
left Balasore and Orissa for Goa.
Thereafter, the Jesuit Missionaries from
Bengal were visiting the Portuguese
settlements in Balasore, giving them
opportunity to receive Sacraments at least
once in a while. It is to be noted that the
Jesuits were working in Bengal from 1549
until the Society was suppressed in 1773.
But when the Society was restored in 1814 it
had no sufficient priests. Gradually, the
number of Catholics in Balasore diminished
as most of the Portuguese had left for other
places like Calcutta for better fortune. It
is said that during those days there was a
pretty good landed property in Balasore, and
a well furnished Catholic Church. However,
during the latter part of the 18th century,
the number of Catholics in Balasore
decreased futher in such a manner that in
1832 when a Priest visited Balasore, he got
so disappointed that he closed down the
Church and entrusted the church and its
property to the local Zemindar for safe
custody. From 1832 till 1864, for more than
30 years, the few Catholics that remained in
Balasore had to remain without any care or a
visit from any priest.
In the year 1864, Fr. Delpelchin, S.J., the
Superior of Bengal Jesuit Mission had made a
visit to Balasore and there he found a few
Catholics who had no visit from any priest
for the last several years. He returned to
Calcutta with firm determination to help the
faithful and appointed Fr. Sappart, SJ, as
resident priest of Balasore in 1865. On
reaching Balasore, Fr. Sappart, SJ had tried
in vain to get back the church and the
landed property entrusted to the Zemindar
earlier on safe custody. Hence, Fr. Sappart,
SJ had purchased another land in Balasore
which comprises the present Church, Convent
and Balasore Social Service Society
compounds. In 1866 against all opposition
and criticisms even from the Superiors, Fr.
Sappart, SJ was found building a fine
Catholic Church in Balasore which came to be
known as ‘ Lal Girja’ which was dedicated to
St. Joseph. It was during that period in
1866 that the Great Orissa Famine took place
causing many starvation deaths and rendering
many orphans. Fr. Sappart, SJ in his
magnanimity had opened in Balasore a
Founding Home beginning with 6 orphans,
which in due course grew considerably. In
1868, the Daughters of the Cross arrived in
Balasore, opened a Convent and took charge
of the foundling Home. Those Sisters were in
Balasore until 1938 when, at the arrival of
the Dominican Fathers from Malta to Balasore,
they left for Darjeeling. As per records,
Fr. Sappart, SJ was in Balasore for 10 years
from 1865 till 1876. Fr. Sappart SJ was
considered as the Pioneer Missionary of
Balasore. During those days, he got a
co-worker in the person of Fr. L’Hermitte SJ
who started working among the people of
Mayurbhanj. He had noticed that at that
period many tribals of Mayurbhanj were
deported to Assam tea gardens as bonded
labourers. Fr. L’Hermitte thought about
working for the upliftment and
rehabilitation of those unfortunates. In the
mean time those boys from the Foundling Home
who were able to study were taken to St.
Antony’s Orphanage, 19 Market Street,
Calcutta, and the girls to Morapai in 24
Parganas for their education. In course of
time those orphans had to be rehabilitated
too. With all these in mind, Fr. L’Hermitte
had an interview with the Diwan and Maharaja
of Baripada and on 24th October 1877, he
managed to get 100 Bighas of jungle land in
Krishnachandrapur along the
Baripada-Balasore road for the establishment
of a station and to rehabilitate people. The
Majaraja of Baripada leased out the land to
Fr. L’Hermitte thus: “For the first 10 years
no rent at all. Thereafter an annual rent
will have to be paid which will be but half
the usual rent”. Thus allotted land
comprises the present site of the Christian
village of Krishnachandrapur and the church
compound there. Most of the land was given
out to the rehabilitated orphan families at
Krishnachandrapur. It was Fr. L’Hermitte
who, during his Mission Expeditions in 1879,
found some Christians living near Nilgiri
mountains in the village Kuarpur-Mitrapur.
He began to take care of them. Records have
it that Fr. L’Hermitte was in Balasore until
1890.
From the year 1880 till 1937, we see many
Jesuit Fathers like Shaff, Fiergus, Gengler,
A. Ville, Vrithoff, etc working in Balasore,
Krishnachandrapur and Mitrapur. In the year
1889, a Christian Community of rehabilitated
orphans was established in Krishnachandrapur,
Mayurbhanj District. In the year 1895, the
present church of Krishnahcnadrapur was
built and inaugurated. In the year 1915, the
Daughters of St. Joseph of Chambery arrived
and opened a School and Convent at Balasore
which was functioning until 1938 when, at
the arrival of the Malteese Dominicans in
Balasore, those Sisters went back to
Kharagpur and together with them their
school too. It is said that the present
Sacred Heart School at Kharangpur is the
re-established School of Balasore. 1938 to
1940 is recorded as the sad period of 2
years in the history of Balasore Church.
Archbishop Ferdinand Perrier SJ of Calcutta
welcomed the Malteese Domincans and
entrusted to them the care and development
of Balasore region. Frs. Gabriel OP and
Jordan OP arrived and took charge of
Balasore in 1938. Later during the year 4
more priests came and 2 Brothers to join the
team. However, they could not adjust
themselves to the poverty of the people.
Malaria fever, misunderstanding with the
people and the then prevailing war
conditions, etc., caused them to be called
back to Malta in 1940, never to return to
Balasore. It was during those periods in
1940 that due to an earthquake the beautiful
Gothic ‘Lal Girja’ built by Fr. Sapport SJ
was destroyed. With the permission of the
Archbishop Ferdinand Perrier there was an
attempt to rebuild the Lal Gurja it but they
could never do it. It was rebuilt only in
the year 1970. From the time the Dominicans
left for Malta in 1940 till 1948 once again
Balasore region did not have any resident
priest. Instead it was looked after by
priests from Kharagpur.
In the year 1948, Fr. Joseph Viziak SJ was
appointed to Balasore but he remained at
Krishnachandrapur for the reason that there
was a bigger Christian community and an
established church there. From
Krishnachandrapur, Fr. Viziak was regularly
attending Balasore and Mitrapur, most of the
time travelling on bicycle. During the time
of Fr. Viziak in Krishnachandrapur, the
Sisters of St. Anne of Calcutta had
established a Convent in Krishnachandrapur,
but in 1965 when Krishnachandrapur began to
be served by the Diocesan Priests from
Cuttack, those Sisters left the place and
went back to Calcutta.
Inspired by the Decree of the II Vatican
Council, Archbishop Albert D’Souza of
Calcutta considered it better that Balasore,
Krishnachandrapur and Barbil, that are part
of Orissa and inhabited by Oriya speaking
people, should be ministered by Oriya
speaking priests. Accepting this suggestion,
Bishop Paul Tobar, C.M. of the Diocese of
Cuttack took up to minister those three
stations through his diocesan priests. Thus
in the year 1965, Fr. Anselm Biswal was
appointed Parish Priest of Balasore, Fr.
Antony Attully as Parish Priest of
Krishanchandrapur and Fr. Manuel Richard as
Parish Priest of Barbil. Those 3 parishes
remained still with Calcutta Archdiocese
while those priests ministering them were as
if lent to Calcutta and maintained by the
Archbishop of Calcutta. In this connection,
it is to be noted that Barbil in Keonjhar
District, Orissa had the particular Ethnic
Groups of Christians like Oraons, Mundas and
Kharias from Chotnagpur, Ranchi, who came
there as immigrant to work in the mines of
Bolani and Joda. It is they who constituted
the bulk of Christians in Barbil parish. It
is said that the first group of Chotanagpur
Christians who came to work in the mines got
settled in Guruda village which is presently
under Joda parish. Previously Joda was a
sub-station of Barbil parish. Being a mining
area and a prospective area for
Evangelization, with the intention of
establishing a Parish there, Archbishop
Albert D’Souza of Calcutta had purchased a
vast plot of land and bunglows in Barbil
through his Vicar General Fr. Eric Barber
from Mrs. & Mr. Figrades, a French couple.
The land and Bungalows thus acquired in
Barbil constitute the present St. Mary’s
Mission complex in Barbil.
Two Irish ladies, both spinster sisters,
Miss Agnes Underwood and Miss Gertrude
Underwood, who had vast plots of lands both
at Chandipur and Balasore and were living in
a fine Bungalow along the O.T. Road,
Balasore. By their last will dated 27th
January 1967 they donated their landed
properties and Bungalow to the Daughters of
Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Berhampur,
Ganjam District, for charitable works.
Accepting the offer in Registered Deeds
through Fr. Valerian Guemes of Happy Memory
on 2nd May 1967, four Daughters of Charity
(DC) Sisters from Berhampur came and opened
a House at Balasore with the name “St.
Vincent’s Charity Centre, Woodlands”. This
is the present site of the D.C. Sisters
House at Balasore and the very first convent
established in the Diocese of Balasore.
It is to be noted that all through the
Pre-Prefecture period of Balasore History,
the main thrust was for the consolidation of
the then existing Christian communities at
Balasore, Krishnachandrapur and Barbil
centres rather than expansion works. With
this we enter into the second stage of the
History of Balasore Church the Prefecture
Period from 1968-1990.
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THE
APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF BALASORE (1968-1990)
On 14th June 1968, the three civil Districts
of Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar of
Orissa State were bifurcated from the
jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Calcutta
and a New Ecclesiastical Unit “Apostolic
Prefecture of Balasore” was formed, and the
same was entrusted to the care of the
Congregation of the Mission (C.M. or
Vincentians) with Msgr. Jacob Vadakeveetil,
C.M., as its first Apostolic Administrator.
The new Administrator took charge on 18th
November 1968. With this memorable event,
the second stage of the History of
Catholicism in Balasore unit began, which in
fact was the beginning of the growth and
expansion of the Catholic Christianity in
Balasore, North-East Orissa.
A vast stretch of 28,000 sq. kms of land
inhabited by more than 70 lakhs of people,
of different castes, tribes and languages
were entrusted to Msgr. Jacob to evangelize.
With just 5 priests as his first troop to
conquer for Christ more than 70 lakhs of
people spread out in 28,000 sq. kms of land,
Msgr. Jacob was bewildered except for his
strong will power and full reliance on God.
Just 5 priests to cater to the needs of
2,500 Catholics in the three existed
stations of Balasore, Krishnachandrapur and
Barbil to evangelize more than 70 lakhs who
have not yet heard the Word of God; 4 D.C.
Sisters living in one Convent running a
small dispensary along the O.T. Road,
Balasore; one primary English Medium School
and a primary Hindi Medium School at Barbil
were all the assets the new Prefecture had
in 1968. Evangelization of the
non-Christians and expansion of the church
were taken as the main concern and priority
of action by the new Prefecture. A very vast
area to Evangelize; people of different
ethnic groups, culture and languages; very
limited number of Evangelizers; want of
resources; lack of conveyance facilities;
all these were problems that Msgr. Jacob and
his team had to face with.
Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar were backward
Districts and declared as predominantly
tribal among whom are Santhals, Hos,
Bhumijos, Mundas, Kharias and Oraons. Apart
from the tribals, the Prefecture has a good
number of Dalits among whom are Dombos,
Panos, Khondras, Dhobas, Thonthis etc. With
a very limited number of personnel and means
at disposal, putting all trust in God the
new team started working among the tribals
first. No Catechists were available who knew
the rudiments of Catholicism who could clear
the path for the priests’ entry among these
tribals. To make up for it, trial was made
to bring few experienced catechists from
Phulbani District (Present Kondhomal) South
Orissa, to give a push in Evangelization.
Thus came Narcis Pradhan of Padangi and
Thomas Parichha of Alanjury. However, this
proved very unsuccessful for the reason that
those catechists from South Orissa were
alien to the language and customs and
manners of the local Tribals. As those
catechists did not know the tribal language
and customs of the people, they were not
accepted by the local tribals as their own
people for any sincere sharing. Hence,
giving up the idea, fresh attempt was made
to form the local catechists with all their
limitations. Thus came to the scene some
enthusiastic like Vimal Giri of Hatighar,
Pratap Das of Kundupur, Narendra Kisku of
Rangiam and Daniel Beshra of Kusudia who
were once Baptist Christians. Those new
Catechists, perhaps out of over-enthusiasm
to win over people for Christ used lucrative
methods, promising earthly benefits to those
who embrace Catholicism which proved very
harmful to the Church in later times. It is
worth mentioning that a certain Lokmidha
Bhakta of Balasore, who himself was a
Baptist Pastor helped the new team to get
into the tribal belt of Kusudia where he was
having problems with the tribal versus
non-tribal Baptist Christians in his Church
at Kusudia. At the same time, he in his
goodness did not want those tribal
Christians to go away from Christ. So, he
introduced those tribal Baptist Christians
of Kusudia church to Msgr. Jacob
Vadakeveetil, C.M. and allowed them to be
enrolled as Catholics. This was the
beginning of Catholicism in Kusudia.
Besides the Daughters of Charity (D.C) who
were already in Balasore, men and women
Religious from different Religious
Congregations were invited to come and work
in the Prefecture. Thus came Sisters of SABS
in 1969, SAB in 1970, CMC in 1971, SVC in
1979, MC Brothers in 1985 and UMI Sisters in
1988 for the first time to the Apostolic
Prefecture of Balasore.
Both the direct and indirect method of
evangelization were tried. People were
contacted in villages and market places
introducing Christ and Christianity to them.
Wherever possible Health Centres and Mobile
Clinics were opened, low cost hostels for
the education of poor children were started,
social development programmes were launched.
All these attracted people in large numbers,
inspired by the De Moduler Method of Mass
Conversion; people, especially the tribals,
began to be received into the Faith in large
numbers in many centres and were hastily
baptized with the hope that follow-up will
be duly done. Thus by the year 1978, within
10 years of its existence, Balasore
Prefecture had as many as 14,000 Catholic
from among the Santhal Oraons, Kondas and
Bhumijos in centres like Hatigarh (1973),
Rangiam (1973), Kusudia (1974), Baghmara
(1974), Amarda Road (1975), Jaleswar (1975),
Joda (1979), Kalkasole (1983), Garhdeulia
(1986), Ghatiduba (1987), Lavanyadeipur
(1987) etc. As the Fathers were very few in
number; having no proper catechists, being
busy with building up centres and guiding
developmental programmes, the expected
follow-up in catechizing the neophytes
properly could not be done effectively, so
much so that by the year 1989 a good number
of the total baptized were fallen back to
their old ways in many Centres.
While the direct method of evangelization of
preaching, catechizing administering
sacraments etc. were carried out by the
priests and catechists, with the help of the
Religious Brothers and Sisters from the
various Religious Congregations, many
indirect methods of evangelization were
carried out in the Prefecture. Schools both
English Medium - (Barbil – 1969),
(Baripada-1970), (Keonjhar-1971),
(Joda-1971), (Balasore-1974),
(Jaleswar-1981), (Karanjia-1988) - and
Vernacular (Barbil-1969),
(Krishnachandrapur-1971), (Baghmara-1989) (Ghatiduba)
were opened. Low Cost Hostels to facilitate
education of the poor boys in
Krishnachandrapur (1977), Barbil (1971),
Hatigarh (1973), Kusudia (1976), Jaleswar
(1977), Rangiam (1977), Mitrapur (1978),
Baghmara (1979), Joda (1984) and Amarda Road
(1987) were opened. For the girls in
Krishnachandrapur (1971), Barbil (1971),
Kusudia (1976), Hatigarh (1978), Jaleswar
(1983), Rangiam (1984), Mitrapur (1985) were
started. Health Centres were opened at
Krishnachandrapur (1970), Barbil (1970),
Kusudia (1975), Hatigarh (1975), Jaleswar
(1979), Rangiam (1981), Mitrapur (1982),
Garhdeulia (1986), Baghmara (1987) and the
Sisters began to move into out-reach
villages with Mobile Health Clinics. All
these have made at least the presence of the
Catholic Church felt in the north-eastern
part of Orissa.
Though in the early stage of the Mission,
all attention was centered around the
Santhals and the Bhumijos of Mayurbhanj and
Balasore Districts, from the year 1985 fresh
attempts were made to evangelize the Ho and
the Munda communities that were until then
untouched. In the year 1985 contacts were
made from Krishnachandrapur by Fr. Bimol
Joseph Singh, C.M. to Sarat region under
Kaptipada Sub-Division and result was very
responsive and encouraging. In the year
1987, a Mission Centre was opened at
Lavanyadeipur (Sarat) for the welfare of the
Hos and in fact that made considerable
progress in the field of evangelization as
well as in developmental activities.
To promote local vocation to Priesthood, an
Apostolic School was opened at Keonjhar in
1978 with 11 boys for High School studies in
a private rented house from Mr. Ramwatar
Sharma of Keonjhar town. However, due to
environmental problems that school had to be
shifted from the private house to the down
floor of Nirmala Convent School, Keonjhar,
just after one year. Due to reasons beyond
control that Apostolic School had altogether
to be closed down in 1981, shifting the boys
back to the other existing hostels in the
Prefecture. In 1988 when moderate
accommodation was ready in Keonjhar, the
Apostolic School got its re-birth as a
full-fledged Minor Seminary with a name
“Debo Dutho Sadan”. Jyoti Nivas, the
Vincentian Minor Seminary was started in a
rented house at Baripada in 1978 with 12
students but that was shifted to the
permanent building at Madhuban in 1979.
Similarly, to train young Sisters to work in
the Mission in a Mission environment and the
local culture, an Aspirantate for young
girls wishing to become SABS Sisters was
started in Garhdeulia in 1986. As the
formation of Lay-catechists was a very felt
need of the Prefecture, a one-year training
for the Catechists was introduced in Rangiam
under the guidance of the veteran and
experienced missionary Fr. Fausto Gregorio,
C.M. Thirty catechists in 2 batches were
trained in 1975 and 1976.
Within 22 years, Balasore as a Prefecture
Apostolic from 1968-1990 had indeed made
considerable progress in all fields. 2,500
Catholics that had existed in 1968 in three
centres of Balasore, Krishnachandrapur and
Barbil had increased to more than 14,000 in
17 Stations. The Prefecture that had started
with 5 Priests in 1968 had made rapid
strides for having priests. It had its first
diocesan Priest ordained in 1971 in the
person of Fr. Joseph Kollappallil who
unfortunately slept in the Lord after three
years in 1974. Till 1990 the Prefecture had
16 diocesan priests and 14 Religious (CM)
Priests working in the Prefecture of
Balasore. In 1968, the Prefecture that was
craving for a single Catechist had 30 of
them in 1990 to assist the Priests in the
work of Evangelization. The Prefecture that
had started with 4 Sisters in a single
convent from a single Congregation (DC),
running a very moderate dispensary had as
many as 95 Sisters from 6 different
Congregations living in 19 Convents serving
7 English Medium and 3 Vernacular Medium
Schools, running 7 hostels for poor girls,
running 10 Health Centres and several
outreach village Mobile Clinics, 3 Homes for
the Aged, 1 Health Workers’ Training Centre,
1 Rehabilitation Centre for the girl
children of the lepers and 1 Grihini School.
It also had 4 M.C. Brothers living in a
community at Raghunathpur, Baripada,
conducting a free clinic for T.B. patients
and 10 parishes running low cost hostels for
poor boys facilitating their education even
up to the University level in 1990. The
English and Vernacular Medium Schools and
the Hostels for the boys and girls
facilitating their education play a big role
in the work of Evangelization as in all
these schools and hostels
Moral-cum-Value-cum-Religious instructions
are imparted to all students irrespective of
caste or creed.
To be brief, the progress that Balasore
Prefecture had made within 22 years of its
existence had been remarkable. It is in
recognition of it all perhaps that at the
resignation of Msgr. Jacob Vadakeveetil, C.M.
due to health reasons in 1989 as Apostolic
Administrator, that on 13th January 1990,
the Prefecture was raised to the status of a
Diocese and Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M. till
then the Bishop of Berhampur Diocese, was
appointed the First Bishop of Balasore. He
took charge of the diocese on 14th of
February 1990. With that memorable event the
third and the present stage of the History
of Balasore began.
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THE DIOCESE
OF BALASORE (1990-2015)
In spite of all the commendable growth of
Balasore Prefecture made in all the fields
during the span of 22 years from 1968 till
1990, it still remained a Prefecture
Apostolic, craving to be promoted to the
rank of a full-fledged diocese. Many a well
intentioned Faithful began to comment in
private that God loves much but He waits too
long. Yes, God loves indeed but He patiently
waits too and does the right thing at the
right time. That was exactly what has
happened with Balasore Prefecture. As the
fulfillment of a long cherished noble
aspiration of the people on January 13,
1990, the 22 years old matured Prefecture
Apostolic of Balasore was declared a
full-fledged Catholic Diocese by the late
Pope John Paul II, placing it under the
Ecclesiastical province of
Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and Bishop Thomas
Thiruthalil, C.M. who, until then Bishop of
Berhampur, was transferred and appointed as
the First Bishop of the newly erected
diocese of Balasore. Exactly one month later
in the cool atmosphere of 14th February
1990, Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M. who
had braved the diocese of Berhampur in its
infancy and brought it to maturity within 16
years from 1974 to 1990 with all his
experience and capabilities thus became the
captain of the new Ship of Balasore that
contained 14,000 Catholics, ministered by 30
Priests, 4 Religious Bothers, 95 Religious
Sisters from 6 different Congregations and
living in 19 Convents; 30 Catechists in 17
well established Parishes and Institutions
lime, 7 English Medium and 3 Vernacular
Medium Schools, 10 Boys and 7 Girls hostels,
10 Rural Health Centres, 3 Old Age Homes, 1
Rehabilitation Centre and 1 TB Asylum.
Though much commendable progress has already
been made in various fields down through the
22 years of its existence as a Prefecture,
the New Diocese of Balasore remained still
in need of more progress and developments in
different fields. Though a man of innovative
ideas and a visionary, Bishop Thomas
preferred to follow the already existing
traditions and to build up the diocese on
the foundation laid by his Predecessor Msgr.
Jacob Vadakeveetil, C.M. without haste but
no delay. Bishop Thomas threw himself into
hectic activities with the support of his
teammates in the Ministry the Priests, the
Brothers, the Sisters, the Catechists and
the Lay Faithful. By carefully studying the
files and the records, by consulting the
individuals and groups, by visiting stations
and institutions and by interacting with the
people within a short time, Bishop had
gained a clear picture of the diocese, its
mechanisms and its people with all their
aspirations. He envisaged that the new
diocese can progress only with the integral
development of its people who are generally
marginalized from public amenities.
Bishop Thomas left no stone unturned to
thrive in the field of evangelization both
through direct and indirect methods. Every
effort was made to put things in a very
systematic way and proceed. Through the
already existing parishes and institutions
and with the available persons like the
Priests, the Brothers, the Sisters and the
Catechists, he began to consolidate the
existing Christian communities as well as to
take the Gospel Message to the many more
non-Christians brethren around who have not
yet heard of the message of Salvation. For
the efficient functioning of the
Evangelization works in the diocese, the
Priests’ Council and the different
Commissions like, the Catechetical,
Biblical, Liturgical, Family, Media
Communications, Youth, etc. were set up. To
get better cooperation, participation and
involvement of the faithful in the life and
activities the Parish Council and various
Pious Associations like, St. Vincent de Paul
Society, Marian Youth, Maria Sangho, Holy
Childhood, Youth Organisations etc were
introduced in many parishes and Mission
Stations. New parishes and stations like,
Mangalpur in 1991, Keutunimari in 1993,
Jhatiada in 1993, Kuruda in 1993, Joshipur
in 1994, Anandapur in 1995, Bonuan in 1998,
Kalidaspur in 1999, Bhadrak in 2000, Gangraj
in 2003, Soro in 2005, Nuapadhi in 2007,
Bagdafa in 2010, Chauhat in 2010, Udula in
2013 were established.
To Form more ministers for the preaching of
the Word of God in due course, the Apostolic
School at Keonjhar was raised to the status
of the Diocesan Minor Seminary which in
course of time in 1993 was shifted to Kuruda
where at present some 25 young men from
different parts of the country are pursuing
their studies towards priesthood. The post-Kuruda
training for the Major Seminarians starts
from Padanpur to Gopalpur or to Calcutta or
to Sason or to Nagpur or to Mangalore or to
Pune. It is worth noting that the first
fruit of Kuruda Minor Seminary Training
harvest was taken in 2000 when Sangram Murmu
(the present Vicar General of Balasore) of
Khuntapal village under Amarda Road parish
was ordained priest by Bishop Thomas
Thiruthalil. The Vincentian Minor Seminary
at Baripada (Jyoti Nivas) is making much
progress too in forming future C.M. Priests
for Orissa and for the other States of India
as well as for other countries too. In
Garhdeulia-Betna the SABS Sisters have their
Aspirantate in forming future Sisters for
North India from among the North Indian
girls. To take care of the sickly and aged
priests of the diocese, Vianney Bhavan was
established in Kuruda in 2012.
All the while the indirect method of
Gospel-cum-development method is carried out
in full earnest by the Religious Brothers
and Sisters chiefly through Education,
Health, Vocational Trainings and other
welfare activities. Bishop Thomas encourages
more and more Religious Congregations of men
and women to come and start Institutions
within the diocese. Thus came: the H.M.
Sisters in Lavanyadeipur (Sarat) in 1994,
M.C. Sisters to Kuruda inn 1996, SABS
Sisters to Bonua in 1998, Camelian Sisters
to Kuruda in 1999, C.M.C. Sisters to
Ichhapur (Bhadrak) in 2000, D.C. Sisters to
Raghunathpur in 2000, S.D. Sisters to Kuruda
in 1999, H.M. Sisters to Kalidaspur in 2002,
M.C. Sisters to Gangraj in 2003, D.B.S.
Sisters to Kalidaspur in 2003, C.H.F. (Holy
Family) Sisters to Bhadrak in 2007, S.V.C.
Sisters to Karanjia inn 2008, D.B.S. Sisters
to Amarda Road in 2010, F.C.C. Sisters to
Nuapadhi in 2012, D.S.T. Sisters to
Kalidaspur in 2013, C.S.M. (St. Marthas)
Sisters to Udala in 2013, C.S.T. Brothers to
Raghunathpur in 1996, while in Soro in 2005
they started the I.T.I. with many trades
like Electrician, Welder, Fitter, Draftsman
etc. The Jesuit Fathers of Jamshedpur
Province have opened a House and an English
Medium School at Sankhabhanga village near
Baripada in 2001 with a hostel run by the
Sisters of St. Anne of Luzern. All these are
in addition to what already existed as
Stations, Institutions, and Communities
before 1990.
To ensure educational facilities to more and
more children, a Vernacular Medium School
was started in Ghatiduba in 1991, St.
Vincent’s Oriya Medium School in Balasore in
1993, The Carmel Convent School in Bhadrak
in 2000, St. Thomas Convent School at
Kalidaspur in 2002, a Vernacular High School
in Bonua in 2002, St. Mary’s Convent Schools
in Raghunathpur in 2002, Seton Convent
School at Hatigarh in 2003, De Paul English
Medium School at Joshipur in 2004, Vikas
Sadan Science College in Nuapadhi in 2007,
Jyothi Convent School at Bhadrak in 2007,
Dibya Jyoty Convent School at Sarbana near
Betnoti in 2012, St. Mary’s Convent School
at Mitrapur in 2013, St. Alphonsa’s School
at Dubna in 2008, St. Joseph’s Convent
School at Udala in 2013, St. Mary’s Convent
School at Anandapur in 2014.
Added to all these formal academic Schools,
low cost hostel facilities are provided for
the rural poor boys at Ghatiduba in 1991,
Keutunimari in 1993, Garhdeulia in 1993,
Keonjhar in 1994, Jhatiada in 1997,
Lavanyadeipur (Sarat) in 1997, Joshipur in
1997, Kalidaspur in 1998, while for the
Girls at Baghmara in 1991, Ghatiduba in
1991, Keutunimari in 1995, Lavanyadeipur in
1999 and in Garhdeulia in the year 1997. All
these are in addition to what existed before
1990. These hostel facilities enable the
rural children to attend public schools
regularly and the schools in the rural areas
to function properly with children attending
them regularly. These are done in
collaboration with the Education Policy of
the Government. To ensure enlistment of all
rural children in the formal Schools, in a
preparatory measure several Balwadi are
organized in remote villages of the diocese.
To provide Education to the school dropouts,
Non-formal schools and Adult Education
Centres are set up in many villages. To
coordinate child labour problems and the
consequent illiteracy of the children a
Liberation and Education of the child
labourers programme was successfully taken
up in Baghmara Centre under the auspices of
Balasore Social Service Society (BSSS).
To ensure health facilities to the rural
poor, more and more centres and Mobile
Clinics are opened by the Sisters at
Ghatiduba in 1992 in Keutunimari in 1993, in
Lavanyadeipur in 1994, in Bonuan in 1998, in
Gangraj in 2003, in Amarda Road in 2010.
To provide referral facilities to the rural
health centres of Balasore Diocese came up
the reputed Jyothi Hospital at Kuruda near
Balasore established in 2000 by the Diocese
with all modern equipments and facilities
with the services of many renowned Doctors
and Para-Medical staff in various
departments.
A house for the destitute children is
established in Kuruda n the year 1997 under
the care of the M.C. Sisters. Pratheeshalaya,
a home for the mentally retarded children
was established in Kuruda by the Daughters
of St. Camillus (D.S.C.) in 2001, Jeevan
Jyoti, a Home for the Physically challenged
children was an old age home for the women
is established in the year 2000 at
Raghunathpur, Baripada by the Daughters of
Charity Sisters under the auspices of S.V.P.
National Council. A.lso the H.I.V. Care
Centre is being established at Kuruda in
2014 under the charge of the D.C. Sisters.
An elaborate Asylum for the T.B. patients at
Raghunathpur managed by the M.C. Brother
while one for the leprosy patients is
established at Gangraj by the M.C. Sisters.
To ensure cultural integration, Utkal Vani
Kala Kendra is set up in Kalidaspur,
Balasore in 1998 at which through classical
music, Odishi and Folk dances and Dramas,
Gospel messages are communicated. To ensure
employment of the youth, an I.T.I. with
different trades are made functional by the
C.S.T. Brothers one at Raghunathpur,
Baripada and anther at Soro in the years
2000 and 2005 respectively. To provide job
opportunities for girls, a Nursing School
with RNRM degree is established in Kuruda in
2006.
For the well organized functioning of all
developmental, welfare and emergency
pogrammes in the diocese of Balasore,
Balasore Social Service Society (BSSS) is
registered and is well functioning at
Vivekananda Marg, Balasore, from 2004.
Disaster management, various types of
livelihood programmes for the rural poor,
linkage with government department etc. are
given prime attention in the Social Service
programmes of BSSS.
In gratitude towards the C.M. Fathers who
have done the pioneering works to make this
diocese a reality, in 2007 a vibrant and
large parish Hatigarh of the diocese of
Balasore has been handed over to the
Northern Province of the Congregation of the
Mission for their exclusive management,
administration and further development
within the approved parish territory.
On 6th September 2012, Balasore Diocese
gratefully celebrated the Golden Jubilee of
the Priestly Ordination of Bishop Thomas
Thiruthalil, C.M., with much pomp and
felicity. Archbishops, Bishops, Priests,
Religious and Lay Faithful in large number
within the diocese and outside the diocese
took part in the celebration and the
function was made memorable.
On retirement of Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil,
C.M., from the bishopric of Balasore, Fr.
Simon Kaipuram, C.M. of the North Indian
Province f the Congregation of the Mission
was appointed Bishop of Balasore on 9th
December 2013. The Episcopal Ordination of
Bishop Simon Kaipuram, C.M. took place at
Balasore Cathedral premises on 30th January
2014. The Chief Consecrator was the
Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Salvatore
Pennacchio from New Delhi, and the
Co-consecrators were Archbishop John Barwa,
SVD of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and Bishop Thomas
Thiruthalil, C.M.. Archbishops, Bishops,
large number of Priests, Brothers, Sisters
and Lay Faithful from in and out of the
diocese attended the Episcopal Ordination
with great satisfaction and joy.
The Diocese of Balasore celebrated its
Silver Jubilee (1990-2015) on the 29th of
January 2015 with much grandeur and
solemnity after a year of spiritual
preparation. Rich tributes were paid to the
former missionaries, dead and alive, during
the Eucharistic celebration as well as
cultural programme, well attended by
Archbishops, bishops, priests, religious and
numerous lay faithful. The Diocese is now in
the steering hands of a matured, energetic,
enthusiastic and highly qualified Bishop
Simon Kaipuram, C.M. Yes, he is the new
Bishop of Balasore Diocese that is leaping
towards further progress hoping for a still
better tomorrow for the people for whose
service he is committed to. Good Luck and
God’s Blessings!!!
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