ST. LUKE'S CHURCH

B-68, Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110024

ESTABLISHMENT OF ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, DEFENCE COLONY - AN OUTLINE

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Defence Colony Parish was first a part of Okhala Parish. There were two Mass Centres - one at the residence of one Mr. Dunn and another at the residence of St. Paul Fathers.
 
There is a very interesting story of the beginnings of the earstwhile St. Luke's Church and it will be really interesting to hear it from Fr. George Kureethra himself as he has so beautifully related it as follows :-
 
....... I can tell you some interesting stories of the beginning of the parish. You know that Defence Colony is so called because the colony came upon plots allotted to the Defence Personnel (Navy, Air Force and Army) for constrction of personal habitations. Some plots were large, especially in the D Block, and others small. The plot B-68 was allotted to an Army Major. But he could not construct the house because he died of a heart attack. Some time later the plot was acquired by another person who also died of a heart attack. And the plot remained vacant because no one would purchase it. That was the time we were looking for a plot. When Frs Charles and Pascal Rodrigues came to know of the vacant plot, the Church decided to acquire it. The plot was purchased and a "residence" was put up, since it was a residential area. The residence was called St Luke's Residence. However, for practical purposes it was used as a church, and a new parish was erected, with Fr Pascal Rodrigues as the first Parish Priest. The church-residence was blessed in March 1979. But six months later Fr Pascal also died of a heart attack, the third one in a row. Since I was known to be a person without a heart, I was asked to succeed Fr Pascal as Parish Priest. Everyone waited for my death, but not only did I not die of a heart attack, but went on for ten years to be the Parish Priest! Finally the people got fed up of me, and I myself asked for a transfer. I was in 1989 transferred as Assistant Parish Priest of Kingsway Camp. I was succeeded by Fr Thomson Panakkal, who was succeeded by Fr Joseph Kudilil.
 
I do not quite remember the names of my assistants in the proper order, but they were Frs John Patrick, Celso Furtado, Neville Lobo, Michael Xalxo and Elias Dungdung.
 
Fr George Kureethra
Dated 20th May 2008
 

Establishment of St. Luke’s Parish

Established in the year 1978 by Archbishop Angelo Innocent Fernandes, Archbishop of Delhi bifurcating it from the parish of Our Lady of Health, Masihgarh. Prior to the establishment of the parish, Fathers of Society of St. Paul who were residents in Defence Colony used to celebrate Sunday Liturgy in their residence. The Church was built and consecrated in 1979.

Parish Priests

(With the years they served the parish)

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The Late Reverend Fr. Pascal Rodrigues (1978-1979)

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Rev. Fr. George Kureethra (1979-1990)

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Rev. Fr. Thomson Panakal (1990-1995)

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Rev. Fr. Joseph Kudilil (1995-2000)

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Rev. Fr. Joseph Vadakumcherry (2000-2003)

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Rev. Fr. Augustine Kuriapilly(2003-2005)

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Rev. Fr. George Abraham(2005-2007)

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Rev.Fr. Ivan Madtha(2007-  Till today )

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Our Beloved Priests 

 

                                                                                          

                                          Fr. Ivan Madtha - Parish Priest                             Fr. Johnson Charangat - Asst. Parish Priest

Besides these St. Luke’s parish was served by other priests in the past. Fr. Susai Sebastian, The Late Fr. John Patrick, Fr. Elias Dungdung, Fr. Celso Furtado, Fr. Neville Lobo, Fr. Lawrence Colaco SJ, Fr. Michael Xalxo, Fr. A. Alphonse, Fr. Francis Swaminathan, Fr. Paul Cardoza , Fr. William Premdas Chaudhary. Fr. Thomas Chambakatt and Fr. Johnson Vallamattam S.J, Fr. Edward Hospet, Fr George P.A., Fr. Jas Elanjikal  and at present Fr Johnson Charangat  as Co-pastor, are some of those whom we remember with gratitude. Fr. Bento Rodrigues SFX and Fr. J. A. Carvalho SFX have been regularly celebrating mass for our parishioners in their School’s Chapel every Sunday from the time of the establishment of Fr. Agnel School, Gautam Nagar. The Jesuit Fathers from Provincialate of India Jor Bagh have been of immense pastoral help for the parish.

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