Christ the King Church, P.O. – Amla, Dist – Betul, M.P. – 460551- 0714-7285977

Established	1932
Sub-Station	Pandurna, Multai
Patron	Christ the King
Families	15
Parish Priest	Fr. Gonsalo Rodrigues, 9970555469, 33gonrod@gmail.com
Religious House (Women)	Little Flower Sisters

Christ the King Church was established on 25th Nov. 1932. According to the Baptism Register the first person was baptised on 3rd Nov. 1911 at Betul by Rev. Fr. J. Servage and at Amla Parish first person was Baptised on 20th May 1918 by Rev. Fr. P. Probat. According to the Baptism Register it shows that the Parish Priest was taking care of Betul and Junardeo also.

At present the Parish Priest of Amla takes care of Air Force, Pandhurna and Navegaon Mission Station. At the Air force station mass is celebrated every Sunday and at Pandhurna and Navegaon once a month on week days.

Parish Council was established in 1993. In 1996 there were four prayer groups, now there have only eight families in the Parish and few members therefore now only one prayer group.

Catechism classes are conducted for youth every Sunday after mass both in the Parish Church and Air Force.

St. Theresa Church, Post Box No. 15 Betul – 460002 M.P. - 07141-238041

Established	1971
Patron	St. Theresa
Families	30
Feast	1st Oct
Parish Priest	Fr. BrycieCutinho, +919300507043
Asst. Priest	Fr. SunitLugun, +918719847117
Religious House (Women)	Little Flower Sisters

Betul is situated on the Satpuda plateau, elevation of 2173 feet above sea level. It is 55 miles south of Itarsi, on the main railway line towards Delhi and about 170 K.M. from Nagpur. Betul is a district head quarters. It is a pre-dominant tribal district. It has ten blocks and 40% of this district is hilly and forested.

On 17th of April 1920 the property of 10 acres of land measuring 457260 sq., feet along with a bungalow measuring 85 X 63 in Nazul land, was signed and given by one Fitha Gussain son of Abdul Boda to Mrs. Mary Theresa Mclntyre wife of John Turnbull Mclntyre, an civil Engineer, of the Great Indian Peninsula railway service. Those days there were very few catholic families at Betul. All pastoral and spiritual needs of the Catholics were taken care of by the priest stationed at Amla. In those days Amla was a huge railway colony, pre-dominated with Anglo-Indians, and railway workers.

On 9th October 1940 Mrs. Mary Teresa Pauline McIntyre transferred the Betul property along with the bungalow to the Nagpur Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation. Its director general was then, Rev. Monsigneur Louis Gayet D.D. Bishop of Nagpur residing at Kamptee (M.S.) Till the early 1970's Betul was an out station of Amla. With the help of caretakers, and servants they looked after this property. This huge bungalow was used as picnic spot or as a summer villa for seminarians. About the year 1971 Fr. Mathew Elengical was the first priest in charge at Betul. He also made a small church. Being a young priest with lot of enthusiasm he began a lot of social work in and around Betul villages with the help of food for work programmes from Caritas India.

After the death of Archbishop Leonard Raymond, without proper approval from the Diocesan authorities the bungalow was occupied by his blood relations, and intimates ones and their associates, who formed an association. It was Archbishop Most. Rev. Leobard D'Souza and his councilors who questioned the credentials of inmates and their association, and their accountability. The inmates refused to pledge obedience to the Archbishop of Nagpur. They even went to the extent to say that the bungalow was sub leased to them by the priest in charge.

The Archbishop did try various methods of negotiations. He even tried to reform this association with the help of Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery. But when all failed he had to take the course of legal action following due procedures in civil Law, till it was settled in the Supreme Court by Special Leave Petition No.11975 in the year 1984 and a due compensation paid to the inmates.

MISSION AT 'ST. THERESA'S CHURCH '

Fr. Dominic Fargose: After setting the legal issues he was appointed as priest in charge. Meanwhile the Archbishop negotiated with the Don Bosco fathers (SDB) Bombay Province to put some life, and give a face-lift to this mission station. The SDB fathers did a wonderful job as per their charism. The Don Bosco fathers in their tenure of about 14 years brought about big changes in Betul. They put up an ITI, for school dropouts, a big hall, and a residential quarters and a huge play ground, and protected the property with a compound wall. They did serve the diocese to the best of their ability. But, things were getting out of their hand, due to the problem of shelter home for street children, and other financial matters. They then surrendered themselves to the local ordinary, and handed over the full property with all its structures to the diocese, without asking for any compensation.

Fr. Francis Leonard was appointed as parish priest. A pious man by nature. He looked after the pastoral needs of the parish to the best of his ability. Fr. Brycie Coutinho was appointed as parish priest in 2010. He was given specific task to settle the land problem with the Nazul Department, to settle the local administration issues, and to start a new CBSE school at Betul. The Archbishop gave full assistance to start the school. He spoke to the various religious Congregations for help to start the school. In the month of October 2011 Bro. Alok was assigned to Betul Mission a man with green fingers. He developed the land with a lot of greenery and made it productive.

On July 4th 2011 St. Theresa's School was started with 36 children on roll. On July 16th 2011 two sisters of the Missionary Congregation of the Daughters of St. Thomas from Ujjain arrived to take over the administration of the school. The parishioners of Betul consist of about 30 families, who are very much supportive to the church. They have begun to see things in the New Hope and New Light.

'There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well.'

Our Lady Of Vailankanni, Community Centre, Near Rly Station, Goradongri – 460443, Dist. -Betul.- 07146-248343

Established	1992
Sub-Station	Pathekhera, Saenti, Bhaura
Patron	Our Lady Velankanni
Feast	8th Sept.
Families	38
Parish Priest	Fr. Varghese V.C, 07693817177, varghese@yahoo.com
Religious House (Men)	Vincentian Fathers
Religious House (Women)	1) Little Flower Sisters 2) FCC Sisters 3) Adoration Sisters

Some Catholics came here in 1961 due to coal mines at Pathekhera and MPEB Thermal Power station at Sarni. They could not meet their spiritual needs. They used to go to Itarsi to participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations.

About 200 Christians of all denominations gathered at H.C.C colony, Sarni and Rev Fr. Rodricks offered Holy Mass for the first time in this parish area in 1963.

Later the faithful were told by the parish priest at Itarsi that they come under Amla parish. So they contacted the parish priest at Amla who then visited from Amla and offered Mass on Christmas Eve at Pathekhera in 1967. Once a month the priest from Amla used to come and offer Holy Eucharist in different house.

In 1971 Betul Parish was established and Ghoradongri was placed under it. In 1972 a convent and a school were established at Pathekhera by the Congregation of Sisters of the Little Flower of the Child Jesus. With the efforts of the Christians of Sarni one union Church for Catholics, Orthodox and Marthoma Christians was constructed at Sarni. It was named St. Thomas Church and was inaugurated on 8th October 1984.

In 1992 Ghoradongri was raised to a parish. A Church in honor of our lady of Velankanni and a residence for priest was constructed at Ghoradongri. Rev. Fr. Dominic Fargose was the one who constructed it and he was the first parish priest of this parish. On 22nd 1999 this mission was entrusted to the Vincentian Fathers (VC) of St Thomas Province, Rewa.