Holy Cross

Holy Cross

Contact Details:

Holy Cross Church
Harimohra
P.O. Sukhia Barhait,
Dt. Banka – 813 104,
Bihar.
Phone: 06424-207050, 06431144127.

Parish Priest – Fr. Paul Kundorpallil.
Church Established – 1930.

Brief History:

Fr. Kilian S.J. was the first resident priest at Harimohra. Baptism recorded from March 4, 1930. The church was built by Fr. Anthony Xalxo TOR and blessed on 6th May 1969. The new presbytery was built by Fr. Michael Kallamplackal and blessed on 29-03-1993. Fr. James Alumkal made further additions to priests’ house. After the Patna Jesuits, Fr. Boniface Bonk TOR was parish priest at Harimohra. Fr. Thadeus Mudry TOR was also there going to Dumaria for Sunday Mass. Fr. Gregory Kuttickal built the boys hostel. Fr. Mathew Chennatt was there and then Fr. Michael Kallamplackal. Fr. James Alumkal was parish priest for a long time. Then the present parish priest Fr. Paul Kundorpallil. During the Bihar famine 1968-69, Fr. Jacob Nampiaparampil TOR built the mud road from the river bed as far as the Salaiya village employing hundreds of people for a few months thus saving them from starvation. For many years there was no bridge across the river. But there is a narrow bridge across the river under the D.M.’s quota. During the summer months there is a scarcity of water in the campus i.e. both the convent schools, hostels ad the Father’s compound. For bathing and washing clothes children go to the river bed and dig holes till they find water under the sand-pretty primitive. That is how the villagers survive. The Nirmala Girls’ High school was the first school to be recognized by the government scale. Children also get stipends. The convent of the CTC has the largest community in Bhagalpur i.e. twelve members in all. The catholic population is 2420 in 50 vilages. Catholic families number 100. Harimohra is a Pilgrimage place to honour the Holy Cross which is celebrated on a mountain top south of Harimohra. There were lots of vocations from Harimohra.