By Francis Sunil Rosario
Kolkata: A church dedicated to Saint Teresa of Calcutta was blessed on April 10 at the outskirts of north Kolkata amid pandemic restrictions.
Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta, who blessed the church, expressed his joy at the completion of the church building. Vicar general Father Dominic Gomes and Father Anthony Rodricks, dean of North 24 Parganas were among the priests who concelebrated.
The archbishop, in his homily, applauded the church’s beautiful design and simple architecture. “This church should become the center of prayer life and worship. To gain spiritual strength, through the intercession of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the parish will become holy. This will be a sacred ground to attain peace and joy of life,” he added.
This new church is situated in a densely populated area in Matkol, Dumdum, a municipality of North 24 Parganas district.
Parish priest Father Alphonse Francis said the church is a “dream come true” for his parishioners.
The Catholics in Matkol are mostly migrants from Barisal, Nagori and Tumulia regions of Bangladesh. During the partition in 1947, millions of refugees had come to India East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Father Francis explained.
By 1949, a total of 65 refugee colonies existed in the Dumdum and Panihati zones. Eventually these immigrants developed markets, schools, temples colleges, hospitals and recreational centers.
According to the 2011 Census of India, South Dumdum had a total population of 403,316. Their literacy rate was 92.09 percent.
In 1991, Calcutta archdiocese bought land at Laxmi Narayan Road to build a church to serve some 700 families living in Matkol, Kabi Mukunda Das Road and Durganagar areas.
The church building’s foundation stone was laid in 2006. Regular Masses were held in a temporarily built church since December 2010. Until 2012 priests from St. Patrick’s Church served the church at Matkol.
The first parish priest of Matkol was Father Tapan Stephen Khan, who was appointed in February 2014. “Monsignor Francis sowed the seed of this church, Father Tapan Stephen watered and Father Alphonse Francis completed the work with dedication and love,” Archbishop D’Souza said.
Father Francis thanked those who funded the church construction. A major supporter was Victoria D’Souza, lay cooperator of Mother Teresa and a member of the Salesian Lay Apostolate who has helped build churches in Darjeeling, northeastern India and in Kolkata.
St. Teresa of Calcutta – Pray for us.