Divine Motherhood of Our Lady

Divine Motherhood of Our Lady

Contact Details:

Divine Motherhood of Our Lady Church
Ulhatu
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi
Pin : 834 010.

About the Church:

The origin of Ulhatu is traced back as far as 1903 to a simple village, Kawali. From the beginning a village primary school was opened and placed under the care of a catechist. After some time, in 1907, a village chapel was built at Kawali. Because of new developments the centre was shifted to Bhuthatanr in 1948. Here also a primary school was opened and periodically priest came for Mass. Until then Ulhatu still formed a part of the Ranchi Cathedral parish. The mission work took shape and direction with the arrival of Fr. Defrijn in 1952. Initially he began to live in a hut and began to lay down the foundation for the Church and school buildings. Steadily the parish began to flourish and more and more students passed out of this centre to join religious life and higher offices.

The particular importance of Ulhatu lies in its being the first and only Marian Shrine in Chotanagpur. Every season throughout the year thousands of pilgrims flock to Ulhatu to pay their homage to the Divine Mother of God. In this shrine the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Halle feeding the Child Jesus is kept. According to the tradition, when the enemies attacked the city, the indwellers sought the help of Our Lady and the statue received all the cannon balls of the enemies, hence hereself became black and saved the city. (This is of special interest because the parish happens to lie within the Horal Jungle Field Firing Range.)

Also memorable is the fact that as a student Constant Lievens went on a pilgrimage to Mary in Halle and there probably got confirmation of his vocation to the Ranchi Missionary. When in Ranchi, he visited Kawali Village in January 1889 and saved the lives of some people there resulting in a movement towards the church. When sick in Belgium he hoped to be able to return to Ranchi and to build a Church in honour of Our Lady. On the return of Lievens’ Mortal Remains to Ranchi in November 1993, his plan was implemented at Ulhatu where the Shrine was blessed on November 12, 1995.

Church Established – 1953

Village Chapels:

Banpur, Barhibera, Jaratoli, Kawali, Kudagarha, Plandu, Serengtoli, Sogod.

Convent:

Daughters of St. Anne (dsa)
St. Anne’s Convent,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Oblate Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Village Palandu,
Rampur P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

Institutions:

St. Joseph’s High School,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

RC iddle School,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

R.C. Primary School,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

Convent School,
Palandu Village,
Rampur P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

R.C. Primary School,
Kawali,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

R.C. Primary School,
Serengtoli,
Lali P.O,
Ranchi.

R.C. Primary School,
sogod,
Janechua P.O,
Ranchi.

St. Anne’s K.G. School,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

St. Anne’s Grihini School,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.

Hospital:

St. Anne’s Dispensary,
Raja Ulhatu P.O,
Ranchi-834 010.