St. Francis Friary

St. Francis Friary
Plot 24. Srijeoni Housing Society
P.O. Ganganagar
Dolthala, North 24 Paraganas,
Kolkata - 700132
West Bengal
Tel: (0091) 03325267728

HISTORY

St. Francis Friary, Dolthala, Calcutta, in the District of 24 North Parganas, West Bengal, in the Archdiocese of Kolkata.

It is a joint Mission of the Mother Province of St. Paul, the Apostle of Malta and St. Maximilian Kolbe Province of India. The presence of the Conventual Franciscans started with the arrival of Fr. Manuel Manicompel, Fr. Mariadas Palatty and Fr. Lawrence Poovathummoottil on 14 January 2014. Fr. Collin Sammut OFM Conv and Fr. Stephan Borg OFMConv from Malta joined them on 15 January 2014 and stayed at Proggaloy, the pastoral Centre of the Archdiocese of Kolkata in Barasat.

On 02 February 2014 during the concelebrated Holy Mass led by His Grace Thomas D’Souza, Archbishop of Kolkata, the Minister General Rev. Fr. Marco Tasca inaugurated the new Mission of the Order in Kolkata. On the same day during the meeting of the friars residing at Proggaloy with Rev. Fr. Marco Tasca OFM Conv Minister General, Rev. Fr. Benedict Baek OFM Conv Assistant General for FAMC, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Pendanathu, Minister Provincial, appointed Fr. Mariadas Palatty OFM Conv, the Mission Superior and Fr. Manuel Manicompel responsible for finding out a proper house for the Friary.

On 07 May 2014, Friars purchased 3 cents of land with a three-storied building at Srijeoni Housing Society, at Ganganagar, Dolthala. The Definitory held on 26 May 2014 at Assisi Shanthi Kendra, Karukutty, Kerala decided to send two students for Theology at Morning Star, the Regional seminary, Kolkata. On 28 June 2014, Friars Sijo Nadackal and Sajesh Kottupallil joined the Community for their studies.

On 01 September 2014, Friars moved from Proggaloy and started living permanently to the rearranged Friary at Dolthala. An Act of Agreement is made between the Archdiocese of Calcutta and the Order of Friars Minor Conventual on 23 March 2015. Later, the Friary was canonically established on 03 August 2015. Later, on the basis of the agreement, the Friars Minor Conventual was requested to give pastoral care to the Catholic Community in the Green Park area.