Our Lady of Lourd

Our Lady of Lourd

Contact Details:

Our Lady of Lourdes Church
Saurichakla
P.O. Surni,
Via. Ishipur,
Dt. Godda- 813 206,
Jharkhand,
Phone: 09431369871.

Parish Priest – Fr. Lucas Arulappa.
Church Established – 1981.

Brief History:

Peter Paul, the first Catholic at Sauri when he was a student met Bishop Leo Tigga S.J. of Dumka. The Bishop directed him to meet the priest at Dakaita for instructions prior to baptism. Fr. Anthony Xalxo TOR was the first priest to visit Sauri and started the spade work there. It is an Oraon community mainly but Santhals are also there. After some Oraons were baptized the M.C. Sisters started visiting the place from Bhagalpur and eventually with special permission from Mother Teresa started the convent there on 31-05-1977. (As a rule M.C. Sisters work only in town areas, not in villages). There was no resident priest till July 30, 1981 when Fr. John Hembrom started living there. The Baptismal register show the following: Fr. Theodore Baa TOR (1969-70); Fr. Anthony Xalxo TOR (1970-71); Fr. Simon Kujur (1972-75); Fr. Thomas Kozhimala (1975-79); Fr. Anthony Xalxo (1979-80); Fr. Jose P.K. (1985-87); Fr. Zepherius Ekka (1992-96); Fr. Jerome Minj (1996-98); Fr. Lucas Arulappa (1999- ). It was Fr. Lucas who removed the old Church built by Fr. Jacob K, and made a new one called “Krist Jayanti 2000” and blessed by Bishop Thomas Kozhimala on 02-02-2000. Fr. Lucas has received a fabulous sum of Rs. 40 lakhs from Manos Unidas for a double storey hostel building for 200 girls at Sauri. Number of baptisms at Saurichakla 700; families 160; villages 18. Distance from Bhagalpur 80 k.m. The road from Doi river bridge is mostly pucca.