St. Peter

St. Peter

Contact Details:

St. Peter’s Church
Chirkee
P.O. Pirtand,
Dt. Giridih-825 198,
Jharkhand,
PHONE : 06558-231275, 09431144126.

Parish Priest – Fr. Michael Kallamplackal.
Church Established – 1976.

Brief History:

There is mention of one Fr. Benni S.J. residing in Pirtand in 1935. The Australian Jesuits used to visit Naokonia and Chalkari in the 1960’s. It was Fr. Scaria Kollerette who got some land in Chirkee in 1975 and built the Clarist Sisters Convent in 1976. Fr. Augustine Neerampuzha TOR was the first resident priest who lived in a garage and later built a small house with a tin roof. Fr. Fabian Kunnappally TOR followed Fr. Abraham Kadanthott was the first diocesan priest at Chirkee from 1983-85. Fr. Julius followed. The priests’ residence was built by Fr. Abraham with help received from the Holy Cross, Hazaribag and from the Holy See. The church was blessed on the Feast of St. Peter & Paul on 29-06-1964. Fr. Julius followed in the capacity of parish priest until he was made V.G. by Bishop G. Saupin S.J. Chronologically the Parish Priests were: Fr. Augustine Neerampuzha TOR (1976-79), Fr. Fabian Kunnappally (1980-82), Fr. Abraham Kadanthott (1983-85), Fr. Julius Marandi (1985-1989), Fr. Jerry Barboza (1990-97) Fr. Michael Kallamplackal (1997- ). Fr. Michael has built a separate hostel for boys and multipurpose hall for large gatherings on Feast Days, a top storey on the priests’ house with extra rooms for guests. Number of catholics 1800. Number of villages 50; distance from Bhagalpur 206 k.m. Number families 330. Chirkee is the last mission parish Bhagalpur has on the Hazaribag border and is under Naxalite threat. But Fr. Michael is holding the fort bravely and he is known as the “ Loha Singh” from his seminary days.