ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE CHURCH

Deanery Varanasi Patron Saint St. Thomas the Apostle Year of Establishment 1988 Parish Priest Fr. Naveen IMS Asst. Parish Priest Priests of the Parish No. of Catholics 338 Address St. Thomas Church Jan Seva Ashram Benipur, Christnagar P.O. Varanasi, U.P. 221003 0542-2626524 Religious Frs. 06; Brs 2 Srs 18 About In the month of May 1973, Fr. Virendra, IMS took up missionary apostolate in the area by encouraging in several social and developmental works. To felicitate the works he put up four ashrams in the villages around Christnagar namely Lodhan, Deshnipur, Kanudih and Benipur. The Ashram at Benipur was blessed and inaugurated on October 02, 1977 and Brs. Rajesh and Anslem started staying there. Gradually on August 15, 1988 this was ecclesiastically erected as Benipur Parish. Fr. Vimal succeeded Fr. Virendra as the priest in charge of Benipur. Frs. Vinod, Jerome, Praful, Sagar, Shashikant, Abhishiktanand and Manohar served the mission. Under Fr. Premraj leadership assisted by Fr. Satyajit the mission at Benipur grew to its present heights. Fr. Premraj's enexpected death left a great void in the mission. Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles opened a convent and dispensary at Bhusaula. Later they also opened a formation house for the tertians, Sanjeevani. The Congregation of Jesus Sisters from Allahabad have opened a house in the same year with ministry of social animation, and took up the school at Kanudih.

St. Thomas Church Jan Seva Ashram Benipur, Christnagar P.O. Varanasi, U.P. 221003