St Mary

St Mary

Contact Details:

St. Mary’s Church
Leela
P.O. Mandro (Mirzachawki),
Dt. Sahebganj-813 208,
Jharkhand,
Phone: 06437-262196, 09431213033.

Parish Priest – Fr. James Koorkakala.
Asst. Parish Priest – Fr. Masih Charan Hansda.
Church Established – 1950.

Brief History:

Leela was a sub-station of Gokhla for many years. Fr. Stanislaus Murmu TOR was the first resident priest but it was at the time of Fr. Michael Edamana TOR that the church was built and blessed in 1971. Fr. Mathew Athikalam was the first diocesan priest t Leela. Fr. Creane S.J. baptized some people of Leela in 1933. The Baptism Records show Fr. Stanislaus Murmu TOR (1966-68); Fr. Dionis Kiro TOR (1972); Fr. Boniface TOR (1972); Fr. Augustine Peedikamala TOR (1976); Fr. Mathew Athikalam (1981-83); Fr. Kurien Valiakandathil (1983); Fr. Celestine Murmu (1986-97); Fr. Kurien Valiakandathil (1997-2006); Fr. James Koorkakala (2006- ). Taking care of scores of poor people affected by T.B. and Kalazar by Fr. Kurien and the SMI Sisters brought in a rich harvest of souls at Leela till the Father’s transfer to St. John’s Seminary Bhagalpur. A new bridge near Leela makes the place more accessible from late 2006. Number of Catholics 4000, families 900; villages 29. Distance from Bhagalpur 72 k.m.