The History Of St. Xavier Umreth on Golden Jubilee

St. Xavier's Golden Jubilee, Umreth

 Umreth used to be just one of the villages attended from Anand for over 30 years by Late Fr. Surya. In course of time it became a sub-centre of Nadiad and the field of apostolate of a host veteran missionaries between 1931 and 1934. Living there alone; Frs. Sallas, A. J. Lobo, P. Puche A. Osset, C. Gomes, Luis Martinez, I. M. Savall and especially Fr. Oroz.

In the 1940s-50s Umreth had only a rickety and leaky house in the town's mohollo, with barley anything to cook meals or even sufficient furniture.Fr. Oroz used to give away everything, he was content with a morsel of coarse bread with onions or chas (butter-milk, water-milk).

It was the tenacious efforts of heroic Fr.Oroz that created Umreth Tabo (Parish). He toured thousands of miles on cycle, forgetting his own food and rest. He lived for years in an unhealthy stuffy hovel, but remained always cheerful, always an optimist in spite of disappointments and poor response. It was the dream of Fr. Oroz to have in Umreth a beautiful church , a good High School with a boarding where the promising children of the mission would be given a through Christian education. Despite enormous scarifies to achieve this end, he did not live to see it fulfilled.

 Fr. Navarro took up the challenge and dedicated his few years in Umreth to make this dream a reality. There were but a few scattered Catholics in Umreth when Fr. Navaro took charge. He immediately started a Primary School with a boarding for boys.

Retired Teacher Shree Gabriyelbhai ( 89yrs old)
with his students

 Encouraged by the pioneer Srs.Tusseaux, Luise Agnosa and Mary Mercy (The Salatian Of Mary Immaculate, of the Ave Maria Convent) and by their cooperation he ventured into education. With Sr. Mary Augustine as principal he opened eight standards in 1964, with three teachers and 170 pupils. The following year the school had 252 students, and in 1966 there were 292 on the rolls.  

Present Church, Umreth

 Fr. Navarro's great benefactress Mrs Winnifred Dias, The Mother of Gujarat Jesuit Fr. Donald Dias, sponsored a church   in Fr Oroz's memory. Fr. Navarro saw to its completion. The new church was blessed by Bishop Pinto on the feast of  Our Lady Of Fatima, 13 May 1963. Fr. Navarro reports: : Before the blessing, the wind started blowing with great fury and we were enveloped in a cloud of dust. Then it rained slightly. But within half an hour the sky was clear again and adorned with a double rainbow. It remained one of Fatima. Dr. Anandprasad, an old friend of late Fr. Oroz, who attended the ceremony, on seeing the rainbow, shouted at me:"Fr.Navarro, see the rainbow, he (Fr.Oroz)is here with us!"...All those present praised the Church as one of the most beautiful in the diocese.

 On 4 December 1963, Bishop Edwin Pinto canonically erected the parish of Umreth as separate from Nadiad.

 In November 1967, another energetic, zealous and visionary missionary, Fr Francisco Cabanach, was appointed to Umreth. The Primary School became a High School and he had plans for expansion. He also planned and brought to realization a "Model Kindergarten" which was very well attended. The new complex was inaugurated on 26 October 1969. Fr. Navarro was transferred to Unai, Fr. Cabanach took over as Manager.

 St. Xavier's Umreth became the centre of attraction not only for the people of the town, but also dozones of villages up to Virpur and beyond, some fifty miles north-east of Umreth.

 Eventually, Umreth Mission outgrew itself. It opened two other Centres, Thasara and Balasinor, with their respective missionaries: Priests and Sisters.

 Later on the Parish was taken up by Ahmadabad Diocese, Gujarat.

Present Principal Rev. Fr. Anthony Raj

 The school celebrated Golden Jubilee on 20-01-2013 by the present Principal of the School Rev. Fr. Anthony Raj. Rt. Bishop Thomas Macwan (Ahmedabad Dio.) and many priests, sisters, ex-students, retired teachers and many more people were present for the celebration. The school has given a lot of good teachers, professors, businessman, doctors, advocates, scientist and a lot of valuable personalities to the world.

Information Source Book: 

Catholic Church in Gujarat

Courtesy: Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Anand

Special Thanks to Rev. Fr.Anthony Raj and Mr. Ramesh Parmar

Photos Of the celebration

You can download photos from below link

Golden Jubilee Photos click and download

-BBN