St. Francis Church – Tanakpur

Contact Details:

St. Francis Church
Tanakpur
Post Box No. 16,
Dist. Champawat -262 309,
Uttaranchal,
Telephone – 05943-265776.

Year of Establishment – 1996.
Parish Priest – Fr. Joseph Pascal Lobo.

Brief History:

Tanakpur is a terminus to the hills. It is placed on the border of Nepal in Champawat district. There are a few catholic families settled here. There was a strong need to open a mission station here to cater to the spiritual needs and for other evangelization works. On the invitation of Bishop Anthony Fernandes, the Malabar Missionary Brothers of St. Francis opened this mission station in 1996 under the leadership of Bro. Bastin Karuvelil. They were staying in a rented house. A plot of land was bought in 1997. A temporary residence for the Brothers was constructed in 1998. In the same year, they opened a school in a shed. The official opening of the school and the blessing of the foundation stone of the same was on 22nd July 1998. In was completed and inaugurated on 26th October, 1999. Fr. Pascal Lobo is the first resident Priest. The coming of the Sisters of Little Flower of Bethany has stimulated the mission work of this area. A plot of land was purchased for the convent and the health centre.