Church of the Assumption of the B.V.M.

Established: 1769

Catholics: 500

Catholic Church

Chuhari P.O. 845450

West Champaran District, Bihar

Tel: (06254)223240

History:

            When the Capuchin missionaries were forced out of Lhasa, Tibet, they settled in Nepal where there were three small communities of Christians.   When strife began between the Gurkhas and the Newars the missionaries were forced to leave Nepal and the Newar Christians left with them.  They came to Bettiah where they were welcomed by the government and the priests of the Bettiah mission.  The English government gave them the village of Chuhari, eleven kilometers from Bettiah.  Thus the mission of Chuhari began in 1769.   A big church was built in 1787.  It was similar to the church in Bettiah but not quite so big.  Like its counterpart in Bettiah it also fell in the earthquake of 1934.  The present church was built in the 1970’s due to the persistent efforts of Fr. Joseph Martin, S.J.

            Originally the Holy Cross Sisters worked with the orphans and old people in the mission.  They began a middle school for girls and a teachers’ training school, which in those days’ taught girls after middle school, i.e. after class seven.  The sisters also had sewing and handicraft work there.  In 1942 these works were shifted to Bettiah and the Sisters of the Sacred Heart replaced the Holy Cross Sisters and continued all the work that was not shifted to Bettiah.

            In 1973 a high school for girls was started. It was given recognition by the government in 1976.

Religious Congregations

Sisters of the Sacred Heart (SSH)

Sacred Heart Convent

Chuhari 845450

West Champaran District, Bihar

Tel: (06254) 223204