Parish of the Immaculate Conception
Erected on: April 1, 1959 (The first Church was blessed on: December 8, 1600)
Patron Saint: The Immaculate Virgin Mary
The first church of Jamalkhan was built and dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1600 AD. It was one of the three oldest churches in Chattogram. The Jamalkhan parish is a home to a 747 Catholic believers.
Address & Contact
Catholic Church, Jamalkhan,
18, Jamalkhan Roadm, Chattogram-4000
Bangladesh
Cell phone (Parish Priest): +88 01308937661
Mass Timing
Sunday:
Will be updated soon.
Monday-Saturday:
Will be updated soon.
Parish Map
Territorial Area
District: Chattogram
The area under Chattogram City Corporation: 1 no. South Pahartoli, 2 no. Jalalabad, 3 no. Panchlaish, 7 no. West Sholosohor, 8 no. Sulokbohor, 14 no. Lalkhanbazar, 15 no. Bagmoniram, 16 no. Chawkbazar, 20 no. Dewanbazar, 21 no. Jamalkhan, 22 no. Enayetbazar.
The area under Hathazari Upazila: Forhadabad, Dhalai, Mirzapur, Gumanmardan, Nangalmora, Chipatali, Mekhal, Garduara, Uttar Madarsha, Fatehpur, Chikandandi, Dakshin Madarsha, Shikarpur, Burishchar.
The area under Fatikchari Upazila: Fatikchhari, Baganbazar, Dantmara, Narayanhat, Bhujpur, Harualchhari, Paindong, Kanchannagor, Sunderpur, Suabil, Lelang, Nanupur, Rosangiri, Bokhtapur, Jafatnagar, Dharmapur, Samitirhat, Abdullapur.
History
The early history of Jamalkhan Catholic Church goes back to 1600 A.D. when the first Church was built by Fr. Francisco Fernandez, S.J. and dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The first mass was celebrated there by Fr. Fernandez on December 8, 1600.
For a long time, this center was under the pastoral care of the Cathedral parish, and officiating priests used to visit the parish for masses, feast days, etc. The majority of the parishioners were mostly centered around the Jamalkhan area but also comprised people as far as Lalkhan Bazar, Sholosohor, Chowkbazar, and Bibirhat.
Bishop Alfred A. Le Pailleur, the first Bishop of Chattogram took his residence at Joy Pahar. The bishop’s house was later transferred to Patherghata in 1948.
The Holy Cross Sisters opened their mission in Jamalkhan in 1956 and took charge of St. Mary’s School which was started as a K.G. school in 1955 under the direction of the Sisters of our Lady of Missions (RNDM).
As the parishioner grew in number including the arrival of foreigners, Jamalkhan is erected as a parish on April 1, 1959. Holy Cross missionaries Father Lecavalier and Father Morris were the first resident priests in Jamalkhan. They have taken their residence at a rented house adjacent to the church premise.
In 1957 the priests’ rectory and the present church were built by Fr. Lecavalier. The fund is raised through fancy fairs, individual donations, donations by Bishop Raymond Lorose, and especially a German benefactor Mr. John Swingler.
Xaverian fathers took charge of Jamalkhan parish on November 10, 1996. A large-scale renovation of the presbytery and the church was done at this time by Fr. Sebastiano. The school road, adjacent to the church premise was built in 1998.
Fr. Sebastian Tedesco, S.X, the parish priest of Jamalkhan was going to Pahartoli to celebrate Eucharist. His motorcycle met with an accident on November 27, 1999, and his life was gone.
On the 4th of January 2018, the Society of Verbum Dei (SVD) priests have taken over the charge of the Jamalkhan parish.
Priests & Religious Serving
Parish Priest: Fr. Devswarup Kujur, SVD.
Congregation of Associates of Mary Queen of the Apostles (SMRA): 5 Sisters serving.
Pastoral Council & Teams
- Parish Pastoral Council.
- Liturgy Sub-committee.
- Cemetery Sub-committee.
Lay Associations and Movements
- Society of Saint Vincent de Paul’s Society (SSVP).
- Legion of Mary.
- Holy Childhood Society.
- Brother Andre’s Friends.
Educational Institutes
- St. Mary’s School, Est. 1955 AD.
- Prodipn School (Literacy Center).
Important Statistics
Catholics: 747
Church wards: 5
Church: 1
Prayer leaders: 17 (Volunteers)
Parish workers: 2
Responded to Vocation Life
Brother Lawrence Dias, CSC.
Recent Events in Jamalkhan (Click here)
Learn More About Our Parishes & Sub-parishes
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Patharghata, Chattogram)
The Cathedral church is the first church in Chattogram which was built on 24 June 1600 AD by Fr. Francesco Fernandez, SJ, and originally dedicated to ‘St. John the Baptist’. The Cathedral parish is a home of 5,596 Catholic believers.
St. Joseph’s Quasi-Parish (Pahartali, Chattogram)
In 1924 a church for mainly Goanese railway employees, built and funded by themselves, was set up at Pahartoli, Chattogram and dedicated to St. Joseph. The Pahartoli quasi parish is a home to 370 Catholic believers.
Miriam Parish (Diang, Chattogram)
Dominican Monks Frey Gaspar d’Assumpcao and Frei da Luz came to Diang in 1601 at the request of some Portuguese from Chattogram. The Dominican friars built a hermitage with a church. The Miriam parish is home to 744 Catholic believers.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (Sonapur, Noakhali)
The Bangladeshi district of Noakhali is located on the shores of the river Meghna. Noakhali Parish is known as in the year 1843, Benedictine missionaries began pastoral work in Noakhali. Noakhali parish is a home of 2,126 Catholic believers.
St. Joseph’s Quasi Parish (Lakshmipur)
The Lakshmipur church was blessed in 1993 as a sub-centre under Noakhali parish. It was erected as a quasi-parish in 2017 and a priest took permanent residence since then. The Lakshmipur parish is a home of a tiny Catholic community of 194 believers.
St. Joseph’s Parish (Rangamati)
On 6th February 1955, Fr. B. Rodrigues arrived in Rangamati. After constructing a small living room and kitchen out of bamboo, Father Rodrigues moved there on March 25, 1956, for permanent residence. Rangamati parish is a home of 355 Catholic believers.
Fatima Rani Parish (Bandarban)
On May 27, 1957, Father Bertrand Rodrigues reached Bandarban from Rangamati with Father Leo Gomes crossing the remote mountain pass. He started the work of establishing a church in Bandarban. The Bandarban parish is a home of 8,750 Catholic believers.
Shanti Raj Parish (Thanchi, Bandarban)
Ever since the establishment of Bandarban parish by Father Leo Gomes, evangelization work has begun in Thanchi area among the tribal people. Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC declared Shantiraj Parish, Thanchi as a full-fledged Parish on June 29, 2000 AD. Thanchi parish is a home of 4,710 Catholic believers.
Our Lady Of Presentation Parish (Bolipara, Bandarban)
After Thanchi became a new parish, Bolipara separated from Bandarban and merged into Thanchi parish. On December 16, 2008, Bolipara quasi-parish was upgraded to a full-fledged parish. Bolipara parish is a home of 3,219 Catholic believers.
Shanti Rani Parish (Alikadam, Bandarban)
In 1957, the seeds of Christianity were first sown in Kalajhiri Para of present-day Alikadam Shanti Rani parish. In 2005, the then Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC elevated Alikadam to the status of Parish and declared ‘Queen of Peace Mary’ as the patron of the parish. Alikadam parish is a home of 3,175 Catholic believers.
St. John the Apostle’s Parish (Khagrachari)
Khagrachari was under Rangamati parish from 1955-2008. Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC elevated Khagrachari to the status of parish on May 24, 2009. Khagrachari parish is a home of 1,377 Catholic believers.
St. Peter’s Parish (Lama, Bandarban)
Before being elevated to a parish, the area of the present Lama parish was first under Bandarban parish and later under Alikadam parish. Lama parish was established on 17th March 2013 by Bishop Moses Costa, CSC, and named St. Peter’s Parish. Lama parish is a home of 2,438 Catholic believers.
Our Parishes