Christo Seva Ashram

In 1958 Fr. Poncelet SJ purchased land at Dhitpur, Moail, Purbastali, Purba Bardhaman and established Jisu Sadan Mission. 1963 Fr. Francis Siluvai SJ was appointed at Dhitpur. Due to some practical difficulties he was asked to close down the Mission and shift to Kalna to find a suitable place to build a residence-cum headquarters over there.

Kalna was found to be the most convenient centre, so Fr. Siluvai rented a house in the middle of the residential area in Kalna town. Later in 1965 he bought the entire building to start the Mission named Jisu Sadan, which was used as a Residence, Offices and also to give Hostel facility to Santal children for educational purpose. This residence was closed to government schools, market, bus-stand, bank, communication, road and railway connectivity. In order to take boarders he invited the Sisters of Charity Congregation to work in his newly founded Mission. In February 1966 four nuns arrived at Kalna for this purpose. The nuns helped him for evangelization, educating children and catechumens.

This property was not big enough to house two institutions, namely a boarding for boys and another for girls. This residence was far from the Railway Station, so Catholics had to walk a long distance to come to the mission, secondly the land was not sufficient for further growth. So he found another suitable place, much bigger land, about one acre near Ambika Kalna Railway Station, which he bought on 26^th May 1967 and established a Mission known as “Christo Seva Ashram”, locals call it ‘Christian Church’. Later in this property a Presbytery and a Hostel for boys were built to accommodate the Jesuits and students. The present house ‘Jisu Sadan’ in the town was given to the nuns to look after the girls.

In early 1980s the Charity Sisters moved from the House in the town to their new building across the railway track at Jewdhara, while keeping the house in the town where they started an English medium Holy Child School. Later the nuns built another school building Holy Child School at Jewdhara and upgraded primary school to high school.

On 27^th July 1967 Christo Seva Ashram was erected as a Parish known as the Virgin of the Poor Parish. Rev. Fr. Francis Siluvai SJ was the First Parish Priest. In 1967 Fr. Hardy was appointed at Kalna, so Fr. Francis Siluvai shifted to Pandua where he rented a room in a doctor’s clinic and started working at Pandua. In order to facilitate the tours of the Nuns to the adjoining villages, a sort of sub-station in Pandua was necessary, so in 1970 a four Bigha plot was purchased in Pandua, presently known as Jisu Ashram Pandua on Station Road.

In the year 1971 Fr. Mongal Kumar Das SJ replaced Fr. Francis Siluvai. During the two decades Fr. Mongal through tireless efforts and constant planning and executing, Santal boys and girls were able to study through Home Schooling, using Skill Targeted Academic Growth (STAG) method. All the inmates of the Ashram got admission to government schools and educated and qualified for jobs. Many of them got job as teachers, government employees, working in the Bank or Railways, self-employed and so on.

In the Ashram adult literacy program also was carried on to built up a literate community and made the Church present among the Santals of the area through a whole range of hard works with the assistance of catechists, religious Brothers, Nuns and Hostel students.

The Hostel Boys got a new three storied building as their new Home in 2004 and shifted there. The old Hostel building was being used as multipurpose Hall for daily Mass and other activities.

On 17^th July 2022 Fr. Mahananda Singh SJ was appointed as the new parish priest and superior of Christo Seva Ashram. He installed a Tabernacle and prepared the Sanctuary in the Hall and this Hall is being used only for church purposes.

The Catholic church of Kalna remembers the contributions made by Priests, namely Fr. Francis Siluvai SJ, Fr. Mongal Kumar Das SJ, Fr. Gerard Beckers SJ, Fr. Segerse SJ, Fr. K.K. Devasy SJ, Fr. Eric Tigga SJ, Fr. Joe D’Souza SJ, Fr. Sebastian Xalxo SJ, Fr. Arul Joseph SJ and other Fathers who worked here for a short period of time. The Charity Sisters, Sr. Amelia CSSG, Sr. Archangela CSSG, Sr. Anjali CSSG and lay collaborators in this Mission namely Mr. Ramchandra Murmu, Mr. Charles Tudu, Mr. Munshi Hembrom, Mr. Mongol Soren, Mr. Barku Murmu and so on.

At present Fr. Mahananda Singh SJ the parish priest, Mr. Babulal Hembram the head catechist, Mr. Ramen Mandi catechist and Sr. Rosita Murmu CSSG catechist Sister are carrying forward the legacy kept behind the early Missionaries.