The Catholic faithful of Beneedwar parish in northern Bangladesh marked a century of faith with deep gratitude, remembering the pioneering missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) who laid the foundations of the local Church.
On Dec 29, 2025, nearly 3,500 Catholics gathered at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Beneedwar, Naogaon district, under the Rajshahi diocese, to celebrate the parish’s centenary. Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration, calling the event “a journey of faith shaped by sacrifice, service, and hope.”
“The journey that began with a small indigenous community has now completed a hundred years,” Bishop Rozario said. “In this Jubilee Year, we thank God for His blessings and express our gratitude to the PIME missionaries whose dedication made this Church possible.”
The roots of Beneedwar parish trace back to January 29, 1902, when Italian PIME missionary Fr. Francesco Rocca arrived in the area to provide pastoral care to Gabriel Topno, a Munda tribal Christian suffering from leprosy. Topno had migrated from Chota Nagpur in present-day India and settled in Begunbari, near what is now Beneedwar parish.
Fr. Rocca, who came from Pakuria in Meherpur district after crossing the Ganges River, soon began preaching the Gospel among indigenous Hindu communities. Gabriel Topno and his family were among the first to be baptized, marking the beginning of an organized Christian presence in the region. Today, the grave of Fr. Rocca lies within the parish compound, a lasting reminder of his missionary commitment.
Within eight years of his arrival, strong Christian communities emerged among the Mundas in Begunbari, the Mahalis in Chokjodu, and the Santals in Beneedwar. As railway construction progressed between Iswardi and Amnura, Mal-Paharia communities also came into contact with the mission, leading to further evangelization efforts.
In 1925, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was formally established. Over the decades, Beneedwar has given birth to several several other parishes, including Chandpukur, Khonjonpur, Lokhikul, and Bagunbari. Today, the parish serves more than 3,500 Catholics.
“From this single parish, nine priests and sixteen nuns have emerged,” said Fr. Michael Corraya, parish priest of Beneedwar. “From the beginning until 1990, PIME missionaries faithfully served here. Now local priests of the Rajshahi diocese continue their legacy.”
Fr. Corraya highlighted the parish’s missionary fruitfulness. “Once missionaries came from Italy to serve us. Now our own missionaries are going abroad.”
In 2025, Sr. Puspo Tapno of the Catechist Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Angels, began her missionary service in Italy, a moment many parishioners described as a historic reversal of the mission flow.
Beyond evangelization, the PIME missionaries were instrumental in social development among marginalized indigenous communities. They established schools, boarding facilities for boys and girls, and credit cooperatives that supported education and livelihoods.
“Before the arrival of Christian missionaries, the social and economic condition of indigenous peoples was extremely poor,” said Danish Joseph Topno, a local Christian leader. “They were oppressed by landlords, moneylenders, and tax collectors, and much of their land was taken through force and fraud.”
He said the missionaries responded not only with preaching but by standing with the people, restoring dignity, and building trust. “It was more than a religious change. It was a social transformation.”
Fr. Fabian Mardi, vicar general of the Rajshahi diocese, described the centenary as “a festival of gratitude.” “We are grateful to the PIME missionaries who dedicated their lives to establishing this Church,” he said. “We are also grateful to generations of believers who protected the faith and passed it on to their children.”
As hymns filled the church grounds and elderly parishioners shared memories of earlier days, the centenary celebration became both a remembrance of the past and a renewal of commitment for the future.
“For the years ahead,” Bishop Rozario said, “may this community continue to live the Gospel through faith, service, and love.”
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