Kalol, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

The then Bishop of Ahmedabad and the Jesuit Superiors with the approval and encouragement of the Jesuit Superior General had considered that the Church should open to other areas and communities of the Diocese. Fr. Manuel Diaz Garriz, SJ, was chosen to open a mission in North Gujarat. He arrived in Mokhasan village, near Kalol on 19th June 1964, but soon had to move to the more central Kalol town. He accepted an inculturated way of life that included vegetarianism to be ‘omnibus omnia’ the motto of the first Bishop of Ahmedabad. This inculturation in liturgy and life is the hallmark of the new missions that have grown from Kalol, Kadi, Mehsana Patan and Kheralu. The Catholics are known as Isupanthis, i.e. they remain in their own Samaj (community) and accept Jesus as their Guru. The Parish Church is in the style of a temple and integrates with this local Catholic community. The parish is entrusted to the Jesuit Fathers who run a Higher Secondary School in Gujarati medium with a boarding for boys attached. Sisters of Charity of St. Anne have a community in Kalol and run a High School, boarding for girls, and collaborate in the pastoral activities of the Parish. The parish currently has about 1707 members.