Pakdilpur
– Christ the King School |
– Christ the King Convent (DSS) |
– Christ the King Dispensary (DSS) |
Christ the King Mission
Pakdilpur is situated near the Reserved Forest of Ranipur, close to the boundaries of then Rewa State, about 13 kilometres to the East of the Manikpur Railway Station. As late as March, 1931, Pakdilpur was nothing more than a jungle inhabited by tigers and other wild beasts. On the 5th April 1931, Fr. Andrew of Malta, went to this place with Bro. Anthony and five Catholics in order to start a mission. As there was no house to stay in, he put up in the veranda of the Forest Officer’s Rest House, where he said Holy Mass, and from where he proceeded every morning to clear up the jungle. Later on, he had a small tent for himself, and built some huts, one of which was set aside for Divine Services, while the rest were inhabited by immigrant Catholics.
Two months after, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr. Andrew had the consolation of baptizing four Brahmins, and dedicated the Mission to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Hence its name “Pakdilpur” which means the village of the Sacred Heart. At the end of the monsoon of the same year Fr. Andrew began to build some decent houses for the natives. and a Chapel (33 feet long) which was ready in June, 1932, and blessed and dedicated to Christ the King by the same Father. The present enlarged Church was built in the year 1945.
had been turned from a forest into a modern village of about 200 inhabitants, of whom more than one third is Catholic. There was a Mission shop for the needs of the villages, one flour mill, three wells of good water, one large garden, and more than 240 acres of cultivated fields, with an irrigation system, water being pumped from the river. Initially, the missionaries brought few Christians from Shampura near Sagar to give them land and work in the fields. Original inhabitants were “Kol” tribals. Land that missionaries had bought was distributed to the Kol tribals and to Christians for their livelihood. A 100-acres of land was kept for the mission in order to maintain and run the mission. There were 20 catholic families who were given land at that time. Fr. Aegidius Alexander during his tenure constructed a pump house and executed a system of irrigation by putting permanent pipeline in the field. He also tried to fence the field with barbed wire to protect the fields from wild animals and cattle. Fr. Joseph Palakudy build a long wall in front of the priest house. He also started the school in 1972 and gave the school a permanent structure in 1976 by adding three rooms in the church compound. Fr. Joseph Palakudy was instrumental in bringing the sisters of Nazareth for the mission work in 1973 and constructed a convent for them. There was no electricity in the whole area during those days.
Medicines were distributed by the sisters and fathers for the common sicknesses. Real medical aid started at the time of Fr. Kulmi when a dispensary was started with the help from Caritas India and Nazareth sisters. This gave a great relief to the local people who otherwise had to go about 15 kms to Manikpur for medical aid. In 1996, NEG sanctioned 4 lakhs of rupees for the
construction of a small school and furniture for the school. In 2010, Bishop invited Capuchin fathers from Bangalore (OFM Cap) and entrusted the mission to them. DSS sisters render their service by taking care of the dispensary. The Capuchin Fathers have handed-over the mission back to the diocese on 23rd of April 2025 and Fr Sylves is the newly appointed mission-in-charge.
Established 1927
Patron Christ the King
Patron’s Day Solemnity of Christ the King
Parish Priest Fr. Sylves Anthony
Congregation Order of the Friars Minor (OFM)
Address Pakdilpur, Gidruha Village, Manikpur PO,
Chitrakoot Dt 210 208
Phone 91200 86343
Email anthonyalone86@gmail.com
Catholics 60
Christ the King School
Principal Fr. Sylves Anthony
Phone 91200 86343
Email anthonyalone86@gmail.com
Christ the King Convent (DSS)
Established 1996
Superior Sr. Leena DSS
Phone 8534887117
Christ the King Dispensary (DSS)
In-charge Sr. Leena DSS
Phone 8534887117
Order of Priests Incharge
Fr. Alva | Fr Ganchi | Fr Aegidius | Fr Joseph Palakkudy | Fr Joseph D’aureo | Fr George Chennat | Fr Frederick Mendonca | Fr A Kulmi | Fr Martin | Fr Soosai Ratinam |Fr D Francis | Fr Franky Mathias | Franciscan Fathers took over the Mission | Fr. Sylves Anthony (Currently) |
The Mission Contains:
Christ the King School
Established: 1963
Christ the King Convent (DSS)
Established: 1996
Christ the King Dispensary (DSS)
Established: _