GAROBADHA (1978)
St Dominic Savio Patron
Tura Diocese
(Attached to Don Bosco School, Tura)
St Dominic Savio Hr. Sec. School
Garobadha – 794 105, West Garo Hills
Meghalaya
(03651) 264236
94361 14435 Fr. K. J. Francis
94367 14506 Fr. Alexius Dkhar
Members
Fr. Dkhar Alexius Asst. PP, Cs
Fr. Kalariparampil Francis PP, Cs
Convent :
FMA – Mazzarello
(03651) 264238
History
Garobadha, the biggest parishes of Tura diocese, is about 30 kms away from Tura, and about 230 kms away from Guwahati. The parish has a Catholic population of about 14,500 in 2205 catholic families, spread out in 135 villages. The parish is entrusted to the Salesians permanently as per the agreement signed between Rt. Rev. George Mamalassery, bishop of Tura, and the then Salesian provincial, Fr. John Kalapura on 02-03-1990.
The parish of Garobadha was carved out of the Sacred Heart Parish, Tura. It was in 1969 that the land of the mission was bought by Frs. Victor, G. Stadler and Joseph Puthenkalam. In 1972, the primary school was started; but it was being looked after from Tura. Later, in 1974, the land for the convent was also bought and, in the following year, a small hostel for boys and girls was built, and the teachers of the school supervised the hostel. In 1977, an M.E. school was started. It was in 1978 that the parish was officially opened and the first parish priest, Fr. Kochupurackal Thomas, came to reside in the parish. In 1982, the Garo M.E. school and the Night school were started. Two years later, in 1984, the Salesian Sisters came to Garobadha and took charge of the school and started a dispensary and began to visit the villages and got involved in the pastoral work.
The parish continued to grow, and, in 1989, a new parish, Ampatti, was carved out of this parish and entrusted to the Claretians. After the division, the parish had only 4,500 Catholics. But today, there are about 14,500 Catholics. In the year 1992, at the request of the parishioners, a high school was begun.