Formation House: Philosophy Study House Eluru

The formation house at Maripuram Campus, Janampeta, Eluru serves as the study house for the students of Philosophy. Following the Roman practice in the Mariapuram Campus, the house is called Holy Spirit College. Mariapuram campus is a dream comes true for the Bishop of Eluru, Most Rev. John Mulagada. He wanted in his diocese a campus that vibrates the spiritual richness and diversity at one place. Thus he acquired large area of land in this village, Janampeta and slowly invited religious to establish their houses also realized in establishing a philosophate and theologate under patronage of Capuchin Fathers. Today this campus is proud of this institute, Vijananilayam, institute for Philosophy and Religion. The Philosophical curriculum here is affiliated with the Andhara University thus at the end of the three year course a seminarians obtains a secular degree in Bachelors of Philosophy as well completes the ecclesiastical requirements for priestly studies. The Theological studies are affiliated with the reputed Urbania University in Rome.

Our formation house, the Holy Spirit College had its humble beginning from the academic year 1996. The house itself is situated on two acres of land at Mariyapuram campus that was gifted to us by Most Rev. John Mulagad, the Bishop of Eluru in the year 1994.

Our coming to the Mariapuram Campus takes place as early as 1980. In the late 80s, a brother was sent to do his philosophical studies at Vijnananilayam, Janamept followed by three brothers in 1991. There after every year more brothers were sent to pursue their philosophical studies. While staying at St. Francis College, formation house of the Capuchin Fathers, they frequented Vijnananilayam for their studies.

As the years passed by, we had more seminarians and we felt the need to establish a house of our own. Hence, the Regional Superior, Rev. Fr. John Nalin approached the Bishop of Eluru, Most Rev. John Mulagada, and he welcomed and invited us to be the part of the richness of Mariapuram Campus by generously granting us two acres of land to establish a formation house. The land was gifted to us on 1st July 1994. Soon we began the work of construction. Fr. Mathew K. Abraham then a regent was assigned to bore a well there and the next year 1995 Fr. Sojan in his year of regency supervised the construction work under the guidance of Bro. Immanuel OFM Cap. The house was ready although the first floor was incomplete, by the new academic year 1996. The first batch of our seminarians was accommodated in the house in 1996. The house was blessed and inaugurated by Most. Rev. John Mulagada, the Bishop of Eluru in September 1996.