Vadtal is a small village in Kheda District. It was in the year 1896 that a pioneer missionary first stepped in Vadtal hamlet.He was none other than Rev. Fr.Augustine Martin, a German missionary. He neither had a house to stay nor basic amenities, he stayed in a small hut and went around on horse back,bullock cart or on foot.It was a humble beginning. Although there were strong opposition and even threat to life,his zeal and fervour did not die off. Rather he kept his spirit alive for the church. Things changed as time passed. He wrote to Queen Victoria who ruled Britain then and all its colonies. he made a request to lease him a piece of land at Vadtal. This request was granted to him in 1897. He began to build church and a residence with the help of Bro. Sulte.
In 1914 during the First World War, all the German Missionaries were asked to quit India and those left were taken as hostage war to Ahmednagar camp. On 30Th March 1915, all the Germans were sent to Germany by S.S. Golconda steamer in which Fr. Augstine Martin too travelled to Germany and thereafter died on 03-08-1941 at the age of eighty. After this the Bombay Diocesan priests catered to the spiritual needs of the new mission. In 1916, Spanish Jesuit Fathers took over the mission and later developed the place through education, farming and other social awareness activities. From 1897-1997 there had been eighteen priests who dedicated their services to this mission.
Vadtal parish was taken over by the Society of the missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (now known as Pillar Fathers) in 25-06-1996.Fr. Vitorino was the first Pillar Father appointed the Parish Priest. After this, three parish priests served this parish. At present, Fr. Stanislaus Rodrigues SFX is the Parish priest and Fr. Martin SFX is the assistant parish priest of Vadtal parish.
Courtesy: from the book "Diocese of Ahmedabad" and Fr.Stanislaus Rodrigues SFX .
In the same year 1996 the mission celebrated its Centenary year with the help of a Jesuit priest Fr. Vinayak Jadav S.J.
Today Vadtal parish has 1534 Catholics and 16 villages. Bhumel is one of the 16 villages.
- Vijay Macwan(Bhumel)
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean. 
the cross came to bhumel by a solemn procession from vadtal to bhumel on 14th sept
ReplyDeletebishop charles gomes blessed the new chapel at bhumel
holy cross feast was declared the main feast of bhumel
fr.mendia bought the land for a housing colony
as the people did not want to have a cooperative society it was converted to a school cum chapel
the construction of the school was done by mendia completed by terence
-Terence Lobo S.J.
Thanks for sending all possible email. God bless your work.
ReplyDelete- Bro.Paul