St Francis de Sales Patron
Bongaigaon Diocese
(Attached presence : Doomni)
Catholic Mission
Barpeta Road – 781 315, Assam
(03666) 260724 House
262274 School
94351-25020 Fr. Andreas Panna
94355-13402 Fr. Nicodim Aind
94356-53164 Br. Aloysius Induar
abpanna@hotmail.com Fr. Andreas Panna
Members
Fr. Aind Nicodim VR, HM, APP & Adm
Br. Induar Aloysius Farm, Cs
Cl. Makri Robert PT I
Fr. Panna Andreas Rector & PP
Convent : MSMHC – St. Mary’s Convent
(03666) 260812
History
The mission is located on the Guwahati–Siliguri National Highway and is about 130 Kms from Guwahati falling within the district of Barpeta in the diocese of Bongaigaon. The Catholic population numbers about 1,420 in 225 families located in five villages.
Established in 1936, Barpeta Road Mission is the fourth Catholic parish established the Assam Valley. It served as a launching pad for several other mission ventures. It was also a centre from where priests visited and established other mission centres.
Through the years Barpeta Road parish has undergone numerous divisions – Tangla in 1950, Bengtol in 1967 and Doomni in 1972. With further subdivisions a total of 22 parishes have emerged out of the original mission. Of these, 15 parishes, including the mother mission, have been constituted into the new diocese of Bongaigaon, having a catholic population of over 61,000. And more recently, with further divisions, the parish of Barpeta Road has been confined to the township of Barpeta road, with the majority of Catholics being of the transitory group of employees.
The pioneer of the Barpeta Mission is Fr. Remus Morra, who took charge in 1953 and died there in 1985. He presided over the phenomenal expansion of the evangelical works, nursed the centre and brought up the school to the High School level making it the only Catholic High School in Assamese medium in the whole of the Assam plains. Even though a boarding was opened to facilitate education of Catholic students from far away villages, it met with limited success. Fr. Morra put up elegant structures for the school, the boarding and finally a magnificent church. He also established a famed cattle farm with an exotic breed of cows. There were also a large poultry and a well stocked piggery. Agriculture was also carried out extensively within the vast land of the mission. The Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians have a school in both Assamese and English medium and a hostel for girls. The parish school now has an English medium section up to class VI with intent to go up to Class X.