Formation House: Theology Study House Pune

The formation house in Pune was realized as a result of hard work and effort put up by the province. The seminarians were sent for their theological studies to Pune mostly. Beginning from the first candidates in India, the Superiors chose Pune to be an ideal place from the training of our future priests. The little town not very far from the cosmopolitan metro city of Mumbai became a centre of philosophical and theological studies of Indian church when the Papal Athenaeum of Kandi, Sri Lanka under the administration of Jesuits was brought to Pune, India. Today known as Janan Deepa, this reputed institution is credited with forming many priests and bishops of Indian Church. Over the years a campus was set up as more and more religious houses were established in and around.

In the initial stages of our relation with Pune, our seminarians were sent first to the Fransalian Seminary of MSFS Fathers, also to the Papal Seminary and De Nobili college of Jesuits. As the years passed by and the number of seminarians increased, we wanted to have a house of formation of our own.

The significant moment came when the matter was taken up in the council meeting that was held in Hyderabad on 12th October 1994, in which the council members came up with the beautiful and strong decision to build a study house in Pune. Fr. Varghese, then a 4th year theology student, was asked to find a suitable land or house. In his effort to find a place many people were helpful and their continued assistance bore fruit when we met with Mr. Chalsany, a man form Andhra Pradesh settled in Pune. He had a house which was ready to dispose. Fr. John Nalin, the Regional Superior met with him and discussed the matter and he readily offered to sell the house to us. At this juncture we acknowledge the great help rendered by Late Rev. Sr. Noelin who was involved in various social activities in the neighborhood. Though we had our intentions to obtain some land within the campus it was not actualized for various reasons.

The house is located outside the campus walls of Jana Deepa. It is at Sainikwadi, Wadagoansseri and about six k.m. away from the railway station in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Pune Diocese in the state of Maharashtra. When we purchased the house here, there were only a few religious houses in the locality. But soon we found many religious houses both men and women. Of course, it is not an isolated exclusive religious campus. We live amidst the people. There are also few catholic families who used to frequent for weekdays Masses to our Chapel. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the college on foot.

The work was realized on 4th April 1995 when we registered this land in our name. The whole site was 2240 square feet, in which we had our house and a small piece of empty land. It was comparatively too small for the study house, hence community further decided to buy the land that was adjacent to our house, a plot measuring 1097 square feet.

Beginning from the academic year 1995, our seminarians started to reside in this house. With minimum facilities available, the house began its first step which later witnessed its extension and later an additional floor with more rooms were constructed that today a rather big house that can accommodate more than 20 seminarians was realized. The house was blessed and inaugurated by Most Rev. Valerian De Souza, the bishop of Pune in June 1995.

Address:        

The Superior,

Holy Spirit Theology Study House,

Sainikwadi, Wadagoansheri,

Pune, Maharastra,

Pin: 411 014

Contact Number: 09139182534