KRIST JYOTIBack

The North Indian Capuchin Mission was juridically established in the year 1973 with Br. Blaise as the Superior Regular who retained his place of residence, at Joseph Nagar Bilaspur in the diocese of Meerut as the Headquarters of the jurisdiction. On the recommendations of the 1977 Mission Chapter Commission, the Headquarters was shifted in the year 1981 to Shanti Niketan in the premises of Holy Angels School, Sahibabad, U.P. during Br. Peter Celestin’s term of office as Superior Regular. With is personnel serving in the diocesse of Jammu-Srinagar (J&K), Jalandhar (Punjab & HP), Meerut (U.P.) and Udaipur (Rajasthan), a place more central convenien for travel was desired by the friars. The Union Territory of Delhi, being the national capital, the geographical centre of the region and providing easy access to and fro by rail, air and road and giving the necessary linkage between different areas of the jurisdiction, was undoubtedly the choice. The matter was discussed and approved at the local and provincial level and referred to the General Minister who after having consulted the Conference of Major Superiors in India and his definitory decided in its meeting of 27 January 1989 to grant permission to open a house for the North Indian Mission Head Quarters in Delhi (Prot. No. 0249/89 dated May 31 1989). Due permission was also obtained from Arch Bishop of Delhi, His grace Alan de Lastic for the establishment o our house in Delhi which would be used as residence of students as well. The initiatives of the then Prov. Minister Br. Stephen Jairaj and Superior Regular Br. Peter Celestine finally bore fruit. A suitable plot o land was procured through the efforts of Br. General Br. Cherubim Vermeulin on February 1992 during the historic visit of the General Minister and his definitory to India. The building was ready by the year end in 1992 and the Mission Head Quarters was moved to Yamuna Vihar in the year 1993 during Br. Martin Poothokaren’s term of office as Superior Regular. Since there was a persisted request from the General Minister and St. Francis Province of Kerala the renewal Chapter held at Kartarpur in 2004 unanimously resolved to hand over the building and the premises at Yamuna Vihar, which had been functioning as the Vice-Provincialate from 1992 to 2006 to the newly constituted Prem Jyoti Custody. Accordingly a suitable plot of land was purchased at Kaushambi by then Vice-Provincial Br. Thomas Pullatt in the name of St. Joseph Capuchin Service Society. The foundation stone was laid on April 23, 2005. The building was blessed and inaugurated by Rt. Rev.Patrick Nair the bishop of Meerut on 16th August 2006. Now it serves as the head quarters of the Capuchin Province of Krist Jyoti.