|
The first two
Paulines, Fr Domenico Ambrosio and Fr
Guido Paganini arrived in Bombay by the
Italian liner Victoria on April 10, 1935. But
they could not stay long in Bombay as the
Archdiocese was not open to religious other than
the Jesuits.
After several
attempts to get admitted into a diocese, they
were allowed to stay in Delhi till they are
admitted into another diocese. Here they
maintained themselves by their hard work with a
treadle machine. In December 1936 Fr Paganini
left for Japan. He was replaced with Fr Vico
Anselm who after a few months became sick
and returned to Italy.
 On
August 2, 1937, Fr Alfonso Ferrero
arrived in Bombay and rushed to Delhi to meet Fr
Ambrosio before he left for South America. He
found a new house in Court Road in the Civil
Lines. There was a garage which soon became our
mini-press with a treadle machine and a few sets
of types. In October, 1937, two more paulines
arrived – Fr Gabriel Colasanto and Br
Bernardino Ruffoli.
In March 1938, Fr
Alfonso Ferrero visited several Bishops with the
hope of finding a place to settle down. Finally,
Mons. Angelo Poli, the Bishop of
Allahabad, was willing to accept us on the
recommendation of Mons. De Vito, the then Rector
of St Joseph’s Seminary, Allahabad. Bishop Poli
offered us the Mission at Fidelispur, now known
as Ranipur. However, Fr Ferrero was not
impressed with the offer. On 13th October in
1938, Archbishop Mullighan officially admitted
them into the diocese of Delhi.
Soon a difficulty
arose: Italy sided with Germany in the second
world war and the British authorities in Delhi
began to grow suspicious of Italian
Missionaries. Finally, they accepted the offer
of Bishop Poli and moved to Allahabad on 21st
June, 1939, and settled down at Fidelispur. Soon
they recruited the first batch of aspirants from
India.
In October 1939
Germany declared war on England and later Italy
joined Germany. On 14th June 1940, Fr Alfonso
Ferrero, being an Italian citizen, was arrested
and brought to Agra, and later to Ahamednagar.
Br Bernardino lost contact with the aspirants
who were in holidays. He could not remain alone
at Fidelispur. He became secretary to the Bishop
and stayed at the Bishop’s house. Soon, the
Bishop too was arrested along with Br
Bernardino.
As the war got
over in 1945, Bishop Poli and Br Bernardino were
freed. Fr Ferrero was retained in the camp along
with fifty other Missionaries for another year.
When they
returned after the war, there was nothing left
at Fidelispur. The house was occupied by
refugees from Burma. All our belongings,
including the mini-press, had disappeared.
In the winter of
1948-49 Fr Colasanto returned after his
treatment. In the beginning of 1948 Br Pio
Rizzo came, followed by Fr Bellanzon.
They recruited a few aspirants, and thus once
again we revived the regular Pauline life. In
1949 our founder, Blessed Giacomo Alberione
(Primo Maestro) made his first visit to India.
On 19 April, 1950 another member was added,
Fr Ettore Diamantini.
In 1948 Mons.
Valerian Gracias was elected Archbishop of
Bombay and he invited Paulines to Bombay,
requesting them to take over the Examiner Press
Bookshop.
 On
11th November, 1951, two more members arrived –
Frs Maurus Ferrero to Bombay and
Antonio Rossi to Allahabad. Fr Attilio
Tempra came in February 1952 and was
stationed in Bombay.
In 1953 Fr
Diamantini came to Bombay to look after the
formation of the aspirants. Around Christmas Br
Pio also came to Bombay to manage the Bookshop
which he did till he left for Ireland in 1981.
In 1955 Primo
Maestro came on a second visit to India and his
last visit was in 1963.
On 20 October,
1959, the first Indian Pauline Brothers (Timothy
Tirkey, Angelo Pullokaran and Thomas
Cornelio) made their perpetual profession
and on 01 July, 1962 the first Indian Pauline
priests (Albert Rego and Paul Vechoor)
were ordained.
On 30 June, 1965,
Society of St Paul, India, became a Province and
Fr Alfonso Ferrero was appointed the first
Provincial.
Eventually,
Society of St Paul was spread to different parts
of the country:
-
New Delhi:
In 1964 Fr
Tempra and Br Angelo Pullokaran went to New
Delhi.
-
Bangalore
(Karnataka):
In 1968, Fr
Gabriel Colasanto and Br Basil Chennamkulath
were sent to pioneer the community of
Bangalore.
-
Madras
(Tamil Nadu):
In 1972 Fr
Paul Maruthanakuzhy and Br Carmel Kizhakel
sowed the seed of the community of Madras.
-
Ernakulam
(Kerala):
In 1976 Br
Carmel Kizhakel and Fr Abraham Nedumpuram
pioneered the community of Ernakulam.
-
Coimbatore
(Tamil Nadu):
The community of Coimbatore was inaugurated
on 20th August 1982, with Fr Paul
Maruthanakuzhy and Br Pancratius Tirkey as
pioneers. This community was closed down in
1992.
-
Calicut (Kerala):
On 30
September, 1984, Fr Augustine and Br Leo
Kocheelath were sent to open the community.
-
Eluru
(Andhra Pradesh):
In December
1984, Fr Jose Pottayil pioneered the
community of Eluru, which was later closed
down on 9 June, 2001.
-
Pune
(Maharastra):
On 26
November, 1988, Fr Vincent Gnarakatt, Fr
Vincent Carmelbhavan pioneered the community
of Pune.
-
Jorhat
(Assam):
On 5
September, 1991 Br Jesudass and Fr Joe
Narivelil were sent to Jorhat.
-
 Ibadan
(Nigeria):
On 6 October,
1991, Fr Silvio Pignotti sent Br Basil
Chennamkulam and Br Leo Bottavara to Ibadan
to initiate a new opening in Nigeria. The
community was formally opened on 26
November, 1991.
By a Decree dated 21 December 1995, Superior
General Fr Silvio Pignotti instructed that
Nigeria be part of the Indian Province with
effect from 1 July 1996.
An extension to this community was
inaugurated at
Enugu,
on 3 November, 2007.
-
Vijayawada
(Andhra Pradesh):
On 1 July,
1992, Fr Emmanuel became the pioneer of
Vijayawada.
-
Ranchi
(Jharkhand):
On 26
September, 2004, the house or Ranchi was
blessed. Br Leo and Br Dungdung were the
pioneers.
-
Guwahati
(Assam):
On 22
October, 2006, the community of Guwahati was
erected. Fr Vincent Carmelbhavan pioneered
the project.
-
Jalandhar
(Punjab):
The community
was formally erected by the decree of 25
January, 2008.
Today the Indian
Province of the Society of St Paul consists of
153 members in 14 communities and overseas. We
spread the message of Christ to the 103 crores
of God’s people spread in 33 states of the
Indian subcontinent and 12 crores of Nigeria
through:
 |
16
Book-Centres |
|
|
3
Mobile Book-Centres |
|
|
5
Whole-Sale Distribution Centres |
|
|
Book-fairs and Book Exhibitions |
|
|
An
Outstanding Publishing House |
|
|
8
Regional Language Publications |
|
|
2
Modern Presses |
|
|
5
Periodicals |
|
|
Mini-Media Products |
|
|
Audio-Visual Products |
|
|
2
Parishes |
Members of
Society of St Paul, India, also serve overseas
in 7 countries (Australia, Canada, England,
Ireland, Italy, Nigeria and USA).
|
“The history of the Society of St
Paul in India is a history of
hardships and difficulties. But it
is also a history of innumerable
blessings of God, who in spite of
our many errors and evident
limitations has been very generous
and merciful towards us. To Him be
our thanks, in all humility. In him
we trust for the future” (Fr
Alfonso Ferrero). |
|
