ST. XAVIER'S CHURCH

Established : 1947 Patron : St. Francis Xavier Address : St. Francis Xavier Church, Ashoknagar, Kanpur – 208 012 Phone : 0512 - 2551875 Religious : Apostolic Carmel (AC), Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI) A Brief History St. Francis Xavier’s Church is situated in Ashoknagar, Kanpur. Till 1944 it was visited by the Canadian Fathers stationed at St. Patrick’s Church, Kanpur. They had a plan for a Church cum School. Rev. Fr. Andrew, OFM Cap., used to look after this area. He is the one who built the old Church to be used also as a School. Adjacent to the Church was the presbytery. The Canadian Capuchins went to Varanasi which later became a Diocese. Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues who was already helping at St. Patrick’s Cantt, was entrusted, with this new Parish in 1947. As the number of the faithful increased the need was felt for a bigger Church which would also be at the same time a memorial of the Golden Jubilee of the Parish. It is built on the first floor and the ground floor has about ten rooms, which serve as residence and guest house. The new Church was blessed by his Lordship Rt. Rev. Isidore Fernandes on Dec. 3, 1994. The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters began collaborating in the Parish and School ministry from July 1991. However, they closed their community in 2002. The Pastors who Served: Rev. Fr. Andrew OFMC 1944 - 1947 Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues 1947 - 1949 Rev. Fr. Faustine Alva 1949 - 1957 Rev. Fr. Lawrence Kurian 1957 - 1965 Rev. Fr. CajetanSaldanha 1965 - 1970 Rev. Fr. Antony Pinto 1970 - 1975 Rev. Fr. Noel D’souza 1975 - 1980 Rev. Fr. John Lobo 1980 - 1984 Rev. Fr. Xavier Lobo 1984 - 1985 Rev. Fr. Levi D’Souza 1985 - 1992 Rev. William D’Souza 1992 – 2000 Rev. Fr. Victor Rodrigues 2000 – 2006 Rev. Fr. Alex D’Souza 2006 – 2014 Rev. Fr. Sebastian Francis 2014 – to date

St. Francis Xavier Church, Ashoknagar, Kanpur ? 208 012