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On the eve of the Assumption in 1588 the whole village of Marol became Catholic. After a very short time, thirteen other villages under the jurisdiction of Marol followed her example". (Ref. Thesaurum Rerum Indicarum I, Pg. 560.). Among those villages were Chaquelem (Chakala) and Gondoulym (Gundowli).
The person responsible for the conversions was Bro. Manuel Gomes S.J., who was ordained a priest in 1583. He was well-versed in the Marathi dialect spoken in this area and he also knew the rites and ceremonies of the local people. He was the founder of the Church of St. John the Baptist, Condita (Kondivita), the ruins of which still exists in the SEEPZ Complex.
According to the Ecclesiastical Census of 1660 and the Jesuit Report of 1669, the Catholic population of Chakala was 219 persons and that of Gundowli 246.
The Catholics of Chakala and Gundowli belonged to the parish of St. John the Baptist, Condita, till 1840, and thereafter, belonged to the parish of St. John the Evangelist, Marol.
The Church of Marol catered excellently to the spiritual and temporal needs of the villages of both Chakala and Gundowli, but with the growing population and increasing problems of transportation, a need for a separate Parish for these villages and the new ones that grew around, e.g. Mogra, was deeply felt.
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Origins of the Parish
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On 5th June 1943, Fr, M. Balaguer S.J., the Vicar General of Bombay, on his visit to the village of Gundowli for the blessing of the new building of the Little Flower's School .made a historic announcement.
He announced the formation of a new Parish. Thus, from July 1943, the villages of Gundowli and Chakala were detached from the Parish of Marol and formed a nucleus of a new Parish - the Holy Family, under the Vicarship of Fr. Alfred Tillo S.J., (7th. July 1943).
THE EXAMINER
Bombay JULY 31. 1943
Official Appointments
The Very Rev. German Batthazar Annunciation to be Vicar of the Church of the Holy Ghost, Nandakal and Dean of North Bassein.
The Rev. JaimeColumbano da Piedade Noronha, Chaplain, Chapel of the Sacred Heart, Worli, to be acting Vicar of the Church of Our Lady ot Succour, Manori.
The Rev. John Salvador Miranda, Vicar of the Church of the Mother of God, Palle, to be Priest-in-charge of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, Worli.
The Rev. Father Altred Tillo, S.J., to be Priest-in-charge of the District of Chakala, Gundowli, etc.
The Rev. Macario Pereira, in temporary service of the Archdiocese, to be Assistant at the Church of St. Stephen, Cumballa Hill.
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The first Mass of the new Parish was celebrated in a small horse stable rented from the widow of a Hindu gentleman, Mr. Hiraial. (Thus, Holy Family had its origin in a stable, like the Holy Family itself).
In 1945 the new Vicar, Fr. Denzil Keating S.J., constructed a bigger shed on the land lent by Vinayalaya. Later, during the year (1945), the original villagers of Chakala led by the four Gonsalves families donated a plot of land for building a new Church.
On the 10th of January 1959, His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias blessed and laid the foundation stone of the new fan shaped Church building during the Vicarship of Fr. H. Jimenez S.J., who commenced the construction.
The Holy Family Parish's new church building was completed in 1962 and was blessed by His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias on the 5th of March 1962. Fr. Salvador Marquis S.J., was the Vicar.
At this juncture, credit must be given to Fr. Salvador Marquis S.J., whose untiring zeal and constant drive resulted in the early completion of the building. His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias' words at the blessing of the new church building sums up.
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Fr.
Marquis's contribution.
"Chakala needed a Fr. Marquis
to put
it on the map"
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Later during the year the official sanction for the new graveyard was received,
and work. on the graveyard started almost immediately. After two years of hard
labour and frustration (the entire land was a rocky hill), the cemetery was
blessed on the 25th of June 1964, by Fr. J. Calvo S.J., the Vicar. In June 1987,
the new Parish of the Sacred Heart was formed, part of which is comprised of a
north-eastern portion of Holy Family. To this new Parish was lent, 75 temporary
graves for a maximum period of 15 years. This was during the tenure of
Fr. Fio Mascarenhas S.J., as Vicar. 1st of May 1993, one more landmark in the
history of the HOLY FAMILY PARISH. The GOLDEN JUBILEE Year. His Eminence Simon
Cardinal Pimenta, Archbishop of Bombay, was the Chief Guest and
Fr. Fio Mascarenhas, S.J., the Vicar. During the last fifty years, Holy Family
has contributed tremendously to the upliftment of the have-nots through various
schemes and projects as a service to God. The efforts and dedication of the
parishioners towards the activities of the Parish have been whole-hearted.
This rich tradition is an assurance of a bright future.
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Parish "First"
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| Vicar |
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Fr. Alfred Tilo S.J. |
| Baptism |
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Little John Romeo D'souza from Gundowli was baptised by Mr. Cyprian D'Costa, a layman on 12.8.1943 at Gundowli itself in "articus mortis" |
| Marriage |
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Mr. Clifford Rose to Winnie Doris Mary Vaz of Gundowli celebrated by Fr. A. Tillo S.J. |
| Death |
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John Romeo D'souza soon after his Baptism buried in Marol by Fr. Tilo S.J. |
| Sacristy |
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Bro. W. Braganza S.J., was the first to assist and Mr. Martin D'Souza was the first layperson. |
| Choirmaster |
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Fr. Zurbito S.J. Rector of Vinayalaya. Mr. Nazareth Femandes, who was the first lay-person followed by Mr. Sabu Rebello (1944 upto March 1983 - over 40 years). |
| Altar_Boys |
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Mr. Remy Femandes, Mr. Glen Vaz and Mr. Servilus Pereira. |
| Burial |
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Mr. Paul Pereira was the first to be buried in the newly blessed graveyard on 26th June 1964
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The Shed of 1945
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Like the previous stable, this structure too had only a roof and no side walls.
(Approx.size 80' x40' including the side extension). Hence, a few parishioners used to arrive early in the mor ning to have the Church swept and readied for Mass.
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New Church Building
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The idea of a fan shaped church building was conceived and propagated by
Fr. Britto S.J., in 1951, during his tenure as Parish Priest.
Fr. Carsi S.J.,was the person who designed and planned the entire project.
The church and the attached parochial house is a beautiful example of
environmental planning. Both the church and the parochial house is a single
structure built on different levels, taking advantage of the natural topography.
The civil construction of the church was supervised by Bro. Jacob Macwan S.J.
The aluminium sheet roofing and wood work was done by the Vinayalaya carpentry
shop , under the supervision of Bro.Eloy Molinis S.J. The church and the
attached parochial house is a beautiful example of environmental planning.
Both the church and the parochial house is a single structure built on different
levels, taking advantage of the natural topography.
The M.S. structure was designed and executed by M/s. Richardson Cruddas.
The entire steel structure is galvanised.
CEMETERY: Though sanctioned in 1962, it was consecrated only in June 1964
because this piece of land was a hillock. The task of clearing was arduous
because the entire hill consisted of only a thin layer of top soil and then
rock, which was too soft to be blasted yet hard enough to make manual digging
difficult. Several contractors left the work incomplete and also the Church
coffers were empty, till finally out of desperation Fr. Marquis made a fervent
appeal for loans. After which Mr. John S. Pereira contacted a young contractor,
(Mr. M. Kasim), and personally supervised the clearing and after almost two
months of patience and blazing sun, the graveyard was completed and ready for use.
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Former Vicars
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| 1579 |
Bro. Manuel Gomes, S.J., builder of the Church at Condita. |
| 1583 |
Ordination of Bro. Manuel Gomes and appointment of
Fr. Gomes as First Vicar |
| 1587 |
Fr. Gabriel de O'liveira S.J. |
| 1618 |
Fr. Alwaro Lobo S.J. |
| 1686 |
Fr. Reginald Burgos. S.J. |
| 1687 |
Bro. Antonio de Misquita S.J.,
(In-charge of the property at Marol Mulgaon and Gundowli) |
| 1687 |
Fr. Reginald Burgos, S.J. |
| 1705 |
Fr. Joao Morato S.J. |
| 1706 |
Fr. Lourenco de Souza S.J. |
| 1708 |
Fr. Antonio de Azevedo S.J. |
| 1710 |
Fr. Alvaro Rodriques S.J. |
| 1716 |
Fr. Ignacio Marcal S.J. |
| 1718 |
Fr. Francisco Nogueyra S.J. |
| 1719 |
Fr. Belchior dos Reis S.J. |
| 1726 |
Fr. Vincent de Baros S.J. |
| 1731 |
Fr. Antonio Taborda S.J. |
| 1733 |
Fr. Ignacio Marcal S.J. |
| 1739 |
Fr. Manuel Francisco de Braganza S.J. |
| 1739 |
Fr. Matheus dos Remedikos S.J. |
| 1768 |
Fr. Matheus da Gama |
| 1769 |
Fr. Francisco da Cruz |
| 1785 |
Fr. Ignatio Gomes |
| 1791 |
Fr. Francisco de Mello |
| 1792 |
Fr. Vinjcente Fillipe Peres |
| 1792 |
Fr. Francisco Peieira de Conceicao |
| 1803 |
Fr. Antonio Joseph D'Costa |
| 1803 |
Fr. Anslemo Louis |
| 1803 |
Fr. John Alexander Dias |
| 1804 |
Fr. John Deodato Vaz |
| 1805 |
Fr. Bemando Antonio de Souza |
| 1805 |
Fr. Anselrno Luis |
| 1812 |
Fr. Anthony Cajetan Alvares. |
| 1816 |
Fr. Anselrno Louis |
| 1829 |
Fr. Beinando de Silva |
| 1829 |
Fr. Ignacio Lourenco de Silva |
| 1829 |
Fr. Francisco Xavier de Monte |
| 1832 |
Fr. Diago Manual Gomes |
| 1832 |
Fr. John Cajetan Lobo |
| 1838 |
Fr. Jose Lourence Paes |
| 1839 |
Fr. Diago Manual Gomes |
| 1840 |
Fr. Pedio Paulo de Sa Maiol |
| 1842 |
Fr. Jose Lourenco Paes
(Fi. Paes built the Marol Church in 1840) |
| 1853 |
Fr. Andrew Manual Gonsalves |
| 1853 |
Fr. Gabriel Francisco D'Silva |
| 1857 |
Fr. Jose Vincente de Souza |
| 1881 |
Fr. Braz Francisco de Oliveira |
| 1882 |
Fr. Diago Antonio Lobo |
| 1894 |
Fr. Ponciano Joao Jose Gabriel de Souza |
| 1905 |
Fr. Constancio Xavier Rebello |
| 1906 |
Fr. Maximiano Xavier Louienco |
| 1906 |
Fr. Maximian E.X. Rebello |
| 1907 |
Fr. Michael Francis Pereira |
| 1910 |
Fr. Santana Philip Fernandes |
| 1912 |
Fr. Sebastian do Rosalia Costa |
| 1912 |
Fr. John Francis Gonsalves |
| 1913 |
Fr. Nicholas Francis Albino Monteiro |
| 1920 |
Fr. Augusto Francis de Souza |
| 1922 |
Fr. Anthony Francis Athaide |
| 1922 |
Fr. John Joseph Zefenno Pereira |
| 1932-1943 |
Fr. Marcellinus Baptista Holy Family Parish (July 1943) |
| 7.7.1943 |
Fr. Alfred Tilo S.J., appointed as First Vicar. |
| 1944 |
Fr. Denzil Keating S.J. |
| 1948 |
Fr. Joe Dias S.J. |
| 1949 |
Fr. Julius Gomes S.J. |
| 1950 |
Fr. F. Ribot S.J. |
| 1951 |
Fr. Britto S.J. |
| 1952 |
Fr. H. Jimenez S.J. |
| 1960 |
Fr. Salvador Marquis S.J. |
| 1964 |
Fr. Jesus D Calvo S.J. |
| 1971 |
Fr. Fiedrich Sopena S.J. |
| 1982 |
Fr. Francis Barjou S.J. |
| 1986 |
Fr. Anthony J. D'souza S.J. |
| 1989 |
Fr. Fio Mascarenhas S.J. |
| 1.5.1993 |
GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR Fr. Fio Mascarenhas S.J. |
| 1993-1996 |
Fr Cedric Rebello S.J. |
| 1996-2000 |
Fr Peter Marranet S.J. |
| 2000 |
Fr Jude Fernandes S.J. |
| 2006 |
Fr. Joe Dias S.J. |
| 2009 |
Fr. Jerome D'souza S.J. |
| 2010 |
Fr. Gerard Rodricks S.J. |
| 2016 |
Fr. Vincent Vaz S.J. |
| 2022 |
Fr. Gerard Rodricks S.J. |
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