St. Joseph’s Church

Shaheb Bari, Village: Sahapur

Upazila: Lakshmipur, P.O. & District: Lakshmipur-3700

Cell Phone (Parish Priest): +88 01747863694

Sunday:

7.00 am (Shahebganj sub-centre), 5.00 pm (Lakshmipur parish church).

Monday, Wednesday, Friday:

5.00 pm (Lakshmipur parish church).

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday:

6.30 am (Lakshmipur parish church).

District: Lakshmipur

The area under Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila: North Hamsadi, South Hamsadi, Dalal Bazar, Charruhita, Parbotinagar, Bangakha, Basikpur, Dattapara, Uttar Joypur, Chandraganj, Hazirpara, Charshahi, Diguli, Mandari, Laharkandi, Shakchar, Bhobaniganj, Kushakhali, Tearigonj, Charramano Mohon, Tumchar.

The area under Raipur Upazila: Uttar Char Ababil, Uttar Charbongshi, Char Mohana, Sonapur, Charpata, Char Keroa, Bamni, Dokkhin charbongshi, Dokkin char ababil, Raipur.

The area under Ramganj Upazila: Kanchanpur, Noagaon, Bhadur, Ichapur, Chandipur, Lamchar, Darbeshpur, Karpara, Volakot, Bhatra.

The area under Ramgati Upazila: Char Poragachha, Charmond, Char Algi, Alexander the Great, Char Abdullah, Barakheri, Charramiz, Chargazi.

The area under Kamalnagar Upazila: Kalkini, Saheb’s Hat, Charler Ranch, Charmartin, Charfalcon, Patwari Hat, Hazirhat, Charkadira, Torabganj.

District: Chandpur

The area under Shahrasti Upazila: Chitoshi(East), Chitoshi(West), Uttar Meher, Dakshin Meher, Uttar Roysree, Dakshin Roysree, Uttar, Suchi Para, Dakshin Suchi Para, Tamta.

The area under Chandpur Sadar Upazila:  Ashikati, Kalyanpur, Baghadi, Balia, Bishnupur, Chandra, Hanar Char, Ibrahimpur, Maishadi, Rajrajeshwar, Shah Mahmudpur, Rampur, Sakua, Tarpur, Chandi.

The area under Faridganj Upazila: Purba Baluthuba, Paschim Baluthuba, Purba Char Dukhia, Paschim Char Dukhia, Uttar Faridganj, Dakshin Faridganj, Uttar Gobindapur, Dakshin Gobindapur, Purba Gupti, Paschim Gupti, Uttar Paikpara, Dakshin Paik Para, Uttar Rupsa, Dakshin Rupsa, Purba Subidpur, Paschim Subidpur.

The area under Haimchar Upazila: Uttar Algi Durgapur, Dakshin Algi Durgapur, Char Bhairabi, Haim Char, Gazipur, Nilkamal.

The area under Haziganj Upazila: Purba Barkur, Paschim Barkur, Uttar Gandharabpur, Dakshin Gandharbapur, Hajiganj, Hatila Paschim, Hatila Purba, Uttar Kalocho, Dakshin Kalocho, Uttar Rajgaon, Bakila (Dakshin Rajargaon).

The area under Matlab (Uttar) Upazila: Baganbari, Farajikandi, Durgapur, Purba Fatehpur, Eklaspur, Islamabad, Jahirabad, Kalakanda, Mohanpur, Sadullapur, Satnal, Sultanabad, Paschim, Fatehpur, Gazra.

The area under Matlab (Dakshin) Upazila: Khadergaon, Narayanpur, Uttar Nayergaon, Uttar Upadi, Dakhsin Nayergaon, Dakshin Upadi.

The area under Kachua Upazila: Ashrafpur, Bitara, Uttar Gohat, Dakshin Gohat, Uttar Kachua, Dakshin Kachua, Kadla, Karia, Pathair, Purba Sahadebpur, Paschim Sahadebpur, Sachar.

The English of the East India Company got Dewani in 1763 AD after arriving in India in 1757 AD. In the Tripura-dominated neighborhood of Bhulua in Noakhali, Mr. Kelsall was hired to collect revenue for a British corporation. The region of Lakshmipur then belonged to Bhulua.

Mr. John Finney settled with his family here for weaving, salt, and indigo trade because it was close to the river. They built a palace like building known as ‘Kuthi Bari’. It’s likely that the river changed its course and vast areas became ‘char’. John Finney Junior, son of John Finney, and Richard Dickie Finney, grandson, continued to be the Kuthi Bari’s owners up until 1937. Dr. M. B. Upendra Nath was successful in obtaining Richard Dickey Phinney Sahib’s deeds to Kuthi Bari, and he subsequently acquired ownership while displacing the Sahib family. Later, during the latter years of the British Empire, from 1945 to 1948 AD, when the communal unrest in the Lakshmipur region reached acute and terrible proportions, Dr. M. B. Upendra Nath sold the Kuthi Bari to a local resident named Wajuddin Bhuiyan and left for India. The successors of the Bhuiyan family now reside in this old Kuthi bari. Bhuiyan Bari has replaced Kuthi Bari as the local name. The successors of Finney family have been still residing in Lakshmipur in another land.

Under the Lakshmipur district, there are 4 upazilas: Ramganj, Raipur, Kamalnagar, and Ramgati. The Penheiro and Dias families formerly resided in Ramganj upazila’s Karpara village. These families have currently relocated to Noakhali. The British colonizers had indigo-growing land at Charpata, near the Dakatiya River, at the end of the Raipur upazila boundary. The British-built protection forts and stables are still here, which are now in ruins. Kuthi Bazaar is the name of the marketplace close to these ruins. The D’Silva family’s home is a short distance away from this location. Administratively, the Sahebganj Mission region of Lakhmipur parish is a part of Chandpur district’s Faridganj upazila. In the Kamalnagar upazila in the Lakshmipur district, the places named Char Martin, Char Lawrence, and Sahib are evidence of the British presence there. At the final point of Lakshmipur, in Ramgati Upazila, the Char Alexander region is reserved in the name of the British. After all, the district headquarters’ entryway bears names like Jocksin, Madam, etc. that indicate the British presence there. But it doesn’t appear that the local Christians were Catholics when the British were in charge. There is no concrete evidence, but it’s probable that the Christians in the region converted to Catholicism once Goanese priests arrived.

Father Arturo Spezielle, PIME built a church in Lakshmipur in 1993. It was dedicated to St. Joseph. The majority of the land that now makes up the church premise was bought by Fr. Arturo from the Finney family and a small portion was donated by Catherine Putty Finney. The late Douglas Feeney, a visionary figure, put a lot of effort at the time to build a society here. Sr. Margaret Shield, C.S.C., and Late Jerome Quiah supported and inspired the local Christians in this endeavor by offering words of encouragement and inspiration. Most Rev. Moses M. Costa, C.S.C., started building priests’ and sisters’ residences in Lakshmipur which were completed by 2017. In Lakshmipur, a kindergarten known as St. Joseph’s School began at the same time. Archbishop Moses invited RNDM sisters to open their mission in Lakshipur and they have accepted. From 2017, a diocesan priest and three RNDM sisters have been permanently residing in Lakshmipur quasi-parish.

Sahebganj in Chandpur District’s Faridganj Upazila used to be a part of Comilla parish under the Dhaka archdiocese. The Sahebganj sub-center was split from the Dhaka archdiocese and linked to the Chattogram archdiocese in 2017 and it became a sub-center of Lakshmipur quasi-parish. In Sahebganj’s history, Fr. Dan Kenark, C.S.C., is a distinctive name. He routinely traveled from Comilla to Sahebganj for 40 years, offering pastoral care and pastoral formation. He constructed a chapel and a training facility there. Following Fr. Kenark’s passing on February 1st, 2001 A.D., flocking to the Sahebganj region decreased. As it became a sub-center of Lakshmipur quasi-parish in 2017, priests and sisters started visiting Shahebganj for sacramental and pastoral care regularly.

Parish Priest: Fr. Jerome D’Rozario. 

Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM): 3 Sisters serving.

Parish Pastoral Council.

Legion of Mary.

Saint Joseph’s K.G. School, Est. 2017 AD. 

Catholics: 194

Sub-centers: 1

Church: 2

Part-time catechist: 1

Prayer leaders: 2 (Volunteers)

Parish workers: 1