Bangalore: Cardinal Gracias to preside over diamond jubilee of Holy Ghost Church

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Apr 24: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) President and Archbishop of Mumbai Valerian Cardinal Gracias and Archbishop of Bangalore Bernard Moras are the esteemed guests at the diamond jubilee of the Holy Ghost Church in Richards Town in Bangalore on Thursday.

The Holy Ghost Church forms part of an imposing granite complex, perhaps not now the landmark that it used to be, yet a significant institution in Richards Town.

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, popularly referred to as the Redemptorists, constructed the combined church, monastery for preachers and seminary, as a harmonious and striking hub of Christian and apostolic life.

The Redemptorists, who had come from Ireland, and the Indian confreres who had joined them, resided at John Armstrong Road prior to 1951. The residents of Richards Town attended Holy Mass in their chapel. The dream of a church and seminary was based on the broad ideas of Fr Matthew Hickey, the Superior, and the design was developed by Stanley Fernando, a young architect to whom the project was entrusted.

However, right in the planning stages the scheme was almost abandoned, because of the difficulty in acquiring the land, which was a series of small holdings that belonged to different owners. Prayer, patience, skill and contacts enabled the obstacles to be removed and the property to be acquired.

The then Archbishop A.S.Colas of Pondicherry, on May 24, 1953 blessed and opened Holy Ghost Church on Pentecost Sunday, the feast of the Patron. From that day this granite church, characterized by walls of great height, a spacious marble-floored sanctuary and lofty galleries and windows, has been a centre of sacramental life and worship.

One of its best known features is the shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, where through the miraculous Icon, Mother Mary brings people to God and obtains spiritual and material favours. Immediately after the church was opened, the Holy Ghost Parish was set up as a canonical unit of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Bangalore, by His Grace Archbishop Thomas Pothacumurry.

The area of the parish in 1953 was much more extensive than it is now, 50 years later. It included what is now Ascension Parish, St. Anthony’s Parish (Venkateshpuram), and the villages of Kammanahalli, Chelikere and Byrathi.

However, the total Catholic population of this vast area was only 3000, which grew to a peak of 22,000. The number is somewhat lesser now, due to the division of the new parishes in the urban section and the rural section. There is one outstation served by Holy Ghost Parish, mass is celebrated weekly at the Chapel of St Joseph in Lingarajapuram.

Apart from the church building, the other facilities of the parish include a parish office complex, a parish hall and another mini-hall, premises used for a typing institute and rooms above it used for prayer service and youth activities.

Today, “Holy Ghost” is the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Bangalore and is served by four priests, who draw on the help of the Redemptorist Community, several Congregations of Sisters, and lay organizations.

There is a developed middle class section, as is visible form the homes and apartments of Richards Town and some other sectors.

However, the vast majority range from those seizing the opportunities for development to a huge number of very poor, often unemployable people. The benefits of education are bypassing large numbers of children. Some are joining evangelical sects.

The parish offers liturgical services and sacraments in the three languages most in use, Kannada, Tamil and English. The Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is conducted in these three languages. The Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, celebrated on the last Sunday of January, draws people from far and wide.

Richards Town, Lingarajapuram, Pilanna Gardens, Gospel Street, Venkateshpuram, to name a few important landmarks, have undergone enormous changes and growth in population.

For the four Redemptorist priests, who serve this big parish, as well for the laity, the motto inspiring this unit of the church in Bangalore is inscribed in the Redemptorist coat of arms, on the sanctuary floor: “With Him there is plentiful Redemption”. Our Mother of Perpetual Help assists us in making this a reality, and forming this parish into a vibrant Christian Community.

The Holy Spirit is the Power of God, the Energy of God, the Spirit of Holiness and Love. Holy Ghost Parish operates under the Spirit’s patronage, to offer service in the multi-cultural and multi-religious milieu of Bangalore
 

Parish Clergy:
 
Fr Jacob Brito CSsR Parish Priest
Fr Clement CSsR Asst Parish Priest
Fr Periyanayagham CSsR Asst Parish Priest and
Fr John Mathew CSsR Asst Parish Priest
 

Address:
 
Holy Ghost Church
Redemptorists, Richards Town,
Post Box 8451
Bangalore 560 084
Karnataka, India
Phone: 080-25470499 / 25465493