St. Patrick’s Church – Basmata

Contact Details

St. Patrick’s Church
Basmata
P.O. Basmata (Belhar),
Banka District – 813202,
Bihar, India.
Phone: +91 9431134121

Parish Priest: Fr. Robert Murmu
Assistant Parish Priest: Fr. Vijay Murmu
Church Established: 1965

About St. Patrick’s Church, Basmata

St. Patrick’s Church, Basmata, is one of the historic Catholic missions in the Banka region of Bihar. The mission was started through the efforts of Mgr. Urban, who regularly visited Basmata and worked among the local community. During the early years, he travelled through difficult conditions to reach the village and provide pastoral care with the support of the Missionaries of Charity Sisters from Bhagalpur.

The first recorded baptism at Basmata was of Barnabas Soren of Kusaha on December 24, 1958. As the Catholic community grew, a church was constructed by Fr. Patrick Boland TOR, who personally transported building materials for the construction work. Fr. Dionis Kiro TOR became the first resident priest of Basmata.

Over the years, several priests served the parish and contributed to its spiritual and social development. Fr. Mathew Kaithara played an important role by constructing the priests’ residence, school, and convent during his long service from 1971 to 1979. The church was officially blessed on September 3, 2002, by Bishop Thomas Kozhimala.

Today, St. Patrick’s Church serves around 1,200 Catholics belonging to approximately 225 families across 20 villages. Sunday Mass services are conducted in nearby villages on a regular basis. Located about 75 km from Bhagalpur, Basmata has also contributed several vocations to priesthood and religious life.

A unique feature of Basmata is that a bank has been operating from the church premises since July 1989, reflecting the church’s role in supporting community development.

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Related:
Bhagalpur Diocese Churches
Catholic Churches in Bihar