From 1829 to 1901, Deesa was a British military Cantonment with a resident Catholic Chaplain and a Chapel. There were many times when the Catholic (mainly Irish) military personnel were as many as 500, necessitating the services of the Catholic Chaplain. With the shifting of the Cantonment, the Chapel was in disuse and allowed to disintegrate. The statue of Our Lady Queen of the World found refuge in Khambholaj where for many years she was honoured as Our Lady of Khambholaj: Anathoni Mata. When the statue of Mother of the Forsaken from Valencia (Spain) was enthroned in the new Church of Khambholaj, Our Lady Queen of the World was returned around 1980 to the newly founded mission of Disa.
From 1936 from Rajkot, Fr. E. Gadea, SJ, began visiting Deesa, Radhanpur, Mehasana, Palanpur, celebrating Holy Mass for the dispersed Catholics of the Railways and other government establishments or in the service of the Nawabs. With India becoming independent in 1947, many refugees from Pakistan entered the northern regions of Gujarat. Among these were the Majirana tribals, some of whom were baptised Catholics of the Nawabshah mission in Sind. In new surroundings and with no immediate presence of the Church, they lost contact with the Church. In the late sixties, a chance encounter of one of these Catholics with a Catholic Railway official led to the discovery of this community of Catholics who were spread out in villages of Radhanpur and Disa Talukas. By this time, Kalol mission was in existence. The Parish of Deesa was established in 1978 comprising the whole of Banaskantha District. The Sisters of Charity of St. Anne have a school and boarding for girls and collaborate in the pastoral activities of the Parish. The Parish runs a Higher Secondary School and boarding for boys, besides undertaking social development projects in the villages. The parish currently has about 607 members.
Catholic Ashram
Post Box 1, Station Road
Deesa, Dist Banaskantha – 385 535
(02744) 220073
Parish Priest : Fr. Harold Pinto
Community
Fr. John Peter (Principal),
Fr. Shaiji Kuttampuram
Parish Centers : 12 (Villages in contact)
Monthly Mass : 1 Village
Religious Houses
1. Sisters of Charity of St. Anne
(02744) 220602
Schools
1. St. Xavier’s School
(02744) 223773
2. St. Anne’s School
(02744) 224618
Institutions
1. Boarding for Boys
(02744) 220073
2. Boarding for Girls
(02744) 220602