St. Francis Monastery, Barlowganj on the Garwal Hills was founded by Archbishop Michaelangelo Jacopi of the Tuscany Capuchin Province. It was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi on December 8, 1874. Since 1880, the Monastery was used as the novitiate, study house and the residence of the retired missionaries. In 1900, St. Francis Monastery became the major seminary for students of the Florence Province who were sent to Indian Mission. From 1924 to 1927 it served as the seminary of the Indian commissariat. Now it is looked aftwr by Capuchin Province of krist Jyoti.

When the Monastery was founded, a parish was attached to it. When the Italian Capuchins of Tuscany Province invited the Indian confriars to Bilaspur in 1967, it was agreed that the St. Joseph's province will also take-over the Monastery at a future date, to be settled by the former. The Mission Chapter of November 1983, endorsed the proposal to take over of the monastery. Br. Jose Kurian, the newly appointed guardian and Parish Priest and Br P.A. Joseph were sent to Barlowganj in 1884. The Monastery was formally handed over in the Year 1998. Now Br. Dominic Thirunilath is appointed as guardian and parish priest.