The
Fatima Pilgrimage at Karjat known to many
celebrated special moments of joy, in October 2010 i.e. the Platinum
Jubilee- 75th year of the pilgrimage. Today there are number of
Churches that are dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima however, Our Lady of Fatima
Church at Karjat is the first to be named and dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima,
not only in India, but in Asia. The shrine is a special gift and a blessing to the
Archdiocese of Bombay. It was in 1920 that the statue of Our lady of Fatima,
which is presently placed in the church was brought for Fatima, Portugal.
Karjat
station which is mid-way between Mumbai and Pune is famous for “ vada bugger” but for many catholics is a pilgrim place to
the Shrine of Our lady of Fatima.
The Shrine is next to Karjat Railway
Station. Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three children, Portuguese
shepherds from Aljustrel, received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, near
Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon.
Fatima is an Arabic girl name. The
meaning of the name is `Abstainable’, which incidentally is the name of
the sister of Prophet Mohamed. At that time, Europe
was involved in an extremely bloody war. Portugal too was in political
turmoil, having overthrown her monarchy in 1910; the government disbanded
religious organizations soon after. Many missionaries fled the persecution by
moving to different Countries. This is how in the year 1920, the present caved
statue placed on the Main Altar of the Church at Karjat, was brought from Portugal.
It was on 5th March 1915, that the land close to Karjat station was
purchased by Fr. Aniceto Pereira, the then Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church,
Matheran, for construction of the Church, from Pestonji Bhikaji Balaporria and
Ardesan Pestronji Bhikaji. This purchase deal was done on behalf of the Bishop
of Daman for the Roman Catholic Mission, Karjat. There were not many Catholics
in this locality except for the railway workers, since Karjat had by then
become the hub of railway workshop, especially of the stream engine. When Our
Lady appeared at Fatima in the year 1917, Fr.
J. A. Gomes was in-charge of Karjat. The idea of having a Chapel dedicated to
Our Lady of Fatima was conceived already at that time, but for some reason it
did not materialize. Soon permission was granted and the statue brought in 1920
from Fatima Portugal was venerated by the Catholic Railway Staff in one of the
rooms at Karjat stations.
Matheran
and Karjat being under the Gloria Church, Byculla, in the year 1929 Fr. Orphine Desa, then an assistant at
Byculla and in-charge of Karjat was able to set aside some amount for the
construction of the Chapel at Karjat. Under the supervision of Fr. Stephen
Periera the construction of the new Chapel was completed in 1936. His Grace
Archbishop Joaquim Lima blessed the site. The caved statue which was brought
from Portugal
was now placed in the Chapel. The importance of Fatima
had grown by now and in the year 1935 the pilgrimage started.
In
the year 1937 this mission was handed to the Jesuits who were already running a
mission and a Church at Kune, Kandala. In 1939 the Jesuits purchased additional
land for the expansion of school and mission just behind the Karjat Church.
The mission activities spread to the near by areas of Karjat, Kalapur and
Panvel District by imparting education in the schools and with other reach-out
programmes for the tribals. Fr Sanhez the first superior of the Jesuits and the
other Jesuit priests viz. Fr. Victor, Fr. Nubiola, Fr. Thillo, Fr Morey, Fr A.
Ribes and Fr Miranda are very well remembered by Mrs. Carmel the oldest
surviving members of the Karjat Parish (age 92). During the time of Fr Morey
the Church was registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 on 30th June 1955 (D-7Kolaba) under the name Shrine
of Our Lady of Fatima. Fr. Morey SJ died on Sunday, 16 Oct 1965, as he
was getting ready to come to Karjat from Kune, for the Feast Mass. Fr. Frank
Britto, the first diocesan priest, got a
chance to serve Karjat as he opted to be in Kune mission substituting Fr.
Anthony Ribes for short time from Oct 1974 to Jan 1975, before he took over
Koralia Church. In 1974, the Gram Panchayat issued an order to tax all pilgrims
coming to Karjat. This was not very well accepted and the decision was objected
by the small but strong Catholic community. The letters from Fr. Britto and
late Leandro D’mello created strong ripples at the Panchayat, and forced them
to abort the decision. There was a similar move few years
ago to tax the buses that pile on the
main road during the feast day but this too was put to halt with the effort of few alert parishioners.
In 1978
May, Jesuits moved out from Karjat with no alternative to continue the mission
work at Karjat. These can be considered as the dark years, as the Archdiocese
categorically mentioned in the letter dated July 1978, inability to continue
the pilgrimage to Karjat due to lack of priest. Parishioners under the
leadership of ex Sarpanch late Leandro D’mello called a meeting and urged
the Bishop to reconsider the decision. After the meeting with the
representatives from the Bishop’s house, the matter was sorted. Fr. Frank
Britto who was in Koralia (4 hours distance by bus from Karjat), agreed to keep
the pilgrimage going. It was under his supervision the feasts in the years
1978-79 were celebrated. During these two years the parish of Karjat was in
limbo. At the request of the Bishop house, priest from Amarnath came to
celebrate the Eucharist occasionally since Fr Frank was given the additional responsibility to
look after the pastoral needs of the faithful at Khopoli from Koralia. Today
Khopoli has become an independent unit
From 1980, the Pilar fathers from Amarnath officially
took charge of Karjat parish. During the two years limbo period, the Central
Railway withdrew the special train services, which brought the devotees from
Mumbai. A reminder to them about this matter by Fr. Durado who had taken
charge, at the feast of 1980, was not consented, by the railway authorities.
Karjat was under the Pilar Fathers and a part of the north East Salsette
Deanery, till 1991. Fr Greg periera appointed at Khopoli in the year 1991 June,
was slowly paving way to take charge of Karjat Parish though not officially.
For two years occasionally Fr Greg Diocesan Clergy celebrated the Eucharist for
the people here. In the year 1993 the MSFS priest took charge of Khopoli and
Karjat beginning with Fr Vincent, then Fr. Timothy, Fr Peter finally. During
the time of Fr. Vincent, the boundary wall was demarked and built, though not
completely. The deal for the land in front of the Church was finalized in the
year 1996. during Fr. Timothy’s tenure and during the final year of Fr. Peter
in 2004, a house called Sara Villa was purchased, which became a blessing for
the parish. Today this has became the priest
residence, a house in the midst of the people, over viewing the church.
Knowing
the importance of a resident priest for the growth of the parish, Fr. Gervis
the first Diocesan Resident Priest was appointed. He remained for the
full appointed term which can be considered not less than a miracle and God’s
blessing, knowing the past situation. It was not that easy to complete one full
term in the area like Karjat where there were hardly any facilities like that
we have today. Fr. Gervis put the land records and the trust matters, in order
and also gave a new look to the parish. He became a true pastor to the
parishioners, in the real sense of the term, who were without a full time
pastor.
Though
it is named “Shrine of Our lady of Fatima” there is proposal given to the
Cardinal to elevated this Shrine to the status as “the Archdiocesan Shrine of Fatima” Very
soon this dream will be fulfilled. The term Shrine as cannon law states is a
Church or other sacred place which with the approval of the Local Ordinary is
by reason of a special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims. The
distinguishing characteristic of a Shrine is that it is a place of pilgrimage.
A pilgrimage is a journey by the faithful to a Shrine, a place made
sacred. A number of people come to Fatima Church as pilgrims
and today the Shrine of our Lady of Fatima is one of the famous Shrines and is
sometimes referred to as the Fatima of the
East. The vast concourse of devotees, hailing from every creed and community,
who throng the Shrine with their votive offering during the feast day in
October, is ample testimony of the people’s trust in the power of the
intercession of Our Lady of Fatima and her help in the hour of trouble and
need.
Today
the Church at Karjat is looked after by a Diocesan resident priest Fr. Calistus
Fernandes Efforts are made to
spread the message of Fatima Mother through media .The message of Fatima to spread to the nerves of
Karjat and specially to the people of other faith greater stress is given to the Vernacular and
Indianisation. Care is taken to mention to the devotees of all faith that they
come here not to worship but to venerate Fatima
mother, For we catholic she is not a Devi or Goddess but a holy immaculate virgin
who has played a vital role in the salvation plan of her Son Jesus Christ. Thirteen
of every month is opened to the devotees for prayer and devotion followed by
mass since this day is special to Fatima
Mother. We pray that the church of Fatima turn to Archdiocesan Shrine of Fatima.
Fr
Calistus Fernandes
Parish Priest
Archdiocese of Bombay
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
Karjat, Dt. Raigad 410201
Maharashtra
calistusf@gmail.com
+91-9422095931
The two Carmelite Sisters (Sr. Emelia and Sr. ) who are setting up their new Convent and a Home for the Aged at Fernandes wadi.
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