About us

The Mission Eparchy of Satna is situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is spread out over the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, including the regions of Bundelghand and Baghelghand. These two historical regions of Madhya Pradesh remain economically under-developed, even in the post-Independence era. Rough hilly areas, fertile valleys, the forest ridges of Vindhyas, the narrow valleys of Narmada, and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plains present more challenges than opportunities to the tribal inhabitants in their efforts to sustain themselves and flourish. Underdeveloped agriculture, high rates of illiteracy, acute suffering from the caste system, spates of draught, lack of healthcare establishments, inadequate sanitation, unhygienic conditions and few opportunities for employment add to their miseries.

The Eparchy of Satna, spread out in the heartland of India, belongs to the Syro-Malabar Church. Its territory is comprised of the eight civil districts of Madhya Pradesh, namely; Tikamgarh, Chhattarpur, Panna and Niwari in Bundelghand Region and Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, and Singrauli in Bagelghand Region, covering an area of 45,188 s.q. km. The total population of these civil districts is 1,11,20,815 as per the 2011 Census.

Background

The history of the Eparchy of Satna speaks volumes about the missionary enterprise of the Syro-Malabar Church in North India. It is the result of bold steps taken by the Holy See to give the ever-vibrant Syro-Malabar Church an opportunity for mission work as a Church.

Prior to the establishment of the Eparchy of Satna, there was only one church in the whole region — at Rewa, situated at a beautiful site on Bodabag Road. Till the time of independence, the Christians in Rewa and adjacent states did not enjoy religious freedom. These states were under the rule of different kings; one prominent princely state of the time was Rewa. The Christians in this area practised their religious faith privately. Occasionally, the priest of the neighbouring parish, Katni, of the Latin diocese of Jabalpur, would come to Rewa to offer the Holy Mass.

The Mission Station of Rewa was started under the jurisdiction of Jabalpur in 1947. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery were invited by the Government to render their service in the P. K. Patasala, as well as in the Rewa Hospital. They agreed to do so on condition that they be allowed to have a Catholic priest as their chaplain. Thus a Catholic priest reached Rewa and resided there. A plot of 6.17 acres of land was bought for the church in 1957 at Bodabag. But in 1962, the Sainik School of Rewa acquired the greater portion of the land, with only a tiny portion left over for the parish church.

Rev. Fr. H. Van Engelen was the first priest appointed to Rewa. He served as the chaplain, as well as the parish priest. The parish was comprised of six civil districts in M.P, namely, Sidhi, Rewa, Satna, Panna, Chhatarpur, and Tikamgargh. The priest-in-charge of Rewa occasionally visited all the places entrusted to him, offered Holy Eucharist, and administered other sacraments. The priest used to visit Satna on every Sunday; while Birla, Panna, Majghawan were visited once a month and other places infrequently. One Norbertine priest, Fr. H. B. Manders O. Praem looked after the pastoral needs of the whole area in different periods, especially from May 1964 to October 1968. He had his residence in Rewa, where a small Christian community, comprised of a few migrant Christians, were employed at different places. When a proposal came to the Vincentian Congregation for the possibility of taking over the area for mission work, Fr. James Edavazhithara VC was sent to Rewa. He stayed with the priest-in-charge, helped him in the pastoral duties, and visited mission stations. This was the condition of the station of Rewa before the erection of the new Apostolic Exarchate of Satna.

The history of the Eparchy of Satna has its beginning on 29 July 1968, when the Exarchate of Satna was erected by the Papal Bull In More Est of Pope Paul VI and was entrusted to the Vincentian Congregation. It was announced on 15 August 1968 at the Apostolic Nunciature, in Delhi, as well as at the Vincentian Generalate, Angamaly. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Abraham Mattam was nominated as its Apostolic Exarch. The Exarchate was made a suffragan ad instar to the Archdiocese of Bhopal.

On 20 October 1968, the Apostolic Exarch-elect Msgr. Abraham Mattam and Very Rev. Fr. Jacob Kallarackal V.C., the Superior General of the Vincentian Congregation, together with two other fathers, namely, Fr. John Rathappilly V.C. and Fr. Augustine Vallooran, V.C. left Kerala and reached Satna on 28 October after visiting Raipur and Jabalpur. Bishop Leobard D'Souza, the Bishop of Jabalpur, accompanied them to Rewa. The Christian community and Fr. James Edavazhithara V.C., who had already been in Rewa for a few months, welcomed the Exarch-elect and the first missionaries. Fr. Thomas Kuzhippala, Fr. Joseph Peechanatt, and Fr. George Vempilly, who were working in the Diocese of Raipur, were also present on the occasion. To begin with, the missionaries had practically nothing to work with, except a small building at Rewa. Msgr. Abraham Mattam and the Fathers found themselves accommodated in the small building at Rewa which they received as a patrimony from the Diocese of Jabalpur. The formal inauguration of the Exarchate and the installation of the Apostolic Exarch were on 9 January 1969, by Most Rev. Dr. Giuseppe Caprio, the Apostolic Pro-nuncio. On this occasion Rt. Rev. Leobard D'Souza, Bishop of Jabalpur, Msgr. John A. Weidner, S.A.C, Prefect Apostolic of Raipur, Msgr. Januarius Palathuruthy CMI, the Apostolic Exarch of Chanda, Msgr. Clemens Thotttmgal CMI, Apostolic Exarch of Sagar, Very Rev. Fr. Jacob Kallarackal, a few Fathers and a small Christian community were present. On the official inauguration of the Exarchate, the apostolic Exarch Abraham Mattam announced St. Vincent De Paul as the patron saint of the exarchate.