Anekal

The Archbishop of Bangalore Archdiocese entrusted the entire Anekal Taluka to the Jesuits of Karnataka in 1974. The pastoral care of the Christian community of Anekal was the main work that the archdiocese delegated to the Jesuits. In the 1970s under Fr J.C. Pereira, the Province recommended that the Jesuits take up the Anekal area for integral development.. The idea was that Jesuits at that time were dispersed in different places, like Mysore and Bellary, Ooty; they would be brought to Anekal territory and would undertake coordinated team work there. In 1974 Fr Mathew Lewis was appointed Mission coordinator for Anekal. Over the years apart from the pastoral care of the small Christian community, the Jesuits also engaged themselves in serving the poor of other backward communities as well, for their welfare and empowerment.

In 1977 the Jesuits undertook the mass adult literacy program, rural housing schemes, and other small developmental works. At the invitation of the Jesuits the Canossian Sisters came to Anekal to collaborate with them. Initially they collaborated with the Jesuits in their social work projects and then they ventured into formal education by starting a school. From the year 2000 the Jesuits ventured into the Dalit women’s empowerment. The focus was shifted from charity and developmental works to people’s empowerment and organization. The strategy employed at present is to conscientize, organize and accompany the people to claim their rights and duties that befit a human person. The Society, through the Centre for Integral Welfare, is trying to make the poor Dalits true agents of their liberation and integral welfare. The mission today has a PU College, Social wok centre, a parish and hostels for boys and girls.