THE BOMBAY SEMINARY: The Dark Ages
Post the treachery at the Fort Seminary, the new Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Fortini in 1841 appealed to Rome for a sound man to take charge of the Bombay Seminary. His precise prerequisites were –‘mature, discreet and of sound doctrine and good moral character.’ It is important to note that unlike his predecessors, Bishop Fortini took residence at Salvation Church, Dadar and not the Fort Chapel.
In 1846 the Fort Chapel buildings underwent renovation which compelled the transfer of the Seminary. The exact date of this transfer is not recorded and the exact location can be debated. However we do know that the Seminary was shifted ‘from Medows Street to the large and pleasant house, purchased as a villa house by Bishop Fortini in 1841 (at Parel).’ (Gense, 1960:161)
In 1849 Rome sent the ‘ideal’ Rector to Bombay in the person of Fra Carlos Giacinto but alas it was too late. Bishop Fortini was dead and was succeeded by the fractious Bishop Whelan. The new Vicar was determined to get rid of all the Italian Carmelites. Bishop Whelan rejected the Rector sent from Rome and procured his own Rector named Fr. Francis Menezes, a Redemptorist, possibly of Portuguese origin.
It is recorded that the Bishop ordained ‘seminarians wholesale’ without regard to learning or virtue and placed them in once responsible positions. His recall to Rome rendered no sigh of relief, for now the Bombay Seminary fell into the hands of the notorious Fr. Braz Fernandes who had taken possession of the Salvation Church by simony.
Fr. Warner D'Souza is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay. He has served in the parishes of St Michael's (Mahim), St Paul's (Dadar East), Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (Bandra), a ten year stint as priest-in-charge at St Jude Church (Malad East) and at present is the Parish Priest at St Stephen's Church (Cumballa Hill). He is also the Director of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and is the co-ordinator of the Committee for the Promotion and Preservation of the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church.
What an intersting story, an insight into history which has all the intrigues and shocks like a James Hardly Chase novel.
The problems were as good or bad as in any corporate or business industry.
Thank you Warner .
It houses St. Paul’s Church today.
Now it houses St. Pau’s Church. St. Paul’s Convent, The St. Joseph Cardign Technical and also the Pearl Housing Colony and of course St. Paul’s School and the football ground.
Is it Our Lady’s home now.
I was from St Paul’s Parish, Parel until 1970. Still remember the Seminary building. Our Lady’s home was close to the school.
Love reading the history of the seminary. Thank you Fr Warner for keeping alive the past history.
The Joseph CardijnTechnical School. ( Former Parel Seminary)
Fr Warner re.Bombay Seminary Dark Ages
It was not necessary to remark that Fr Braz took over Salvation Church by simony. It was a property problem in struggle between Padroado and Propaganda.thanks for your work
Source for the word simony comes from
1) Rev.H.Comes, S. J. ‘The Glipse of our Long Past’, Fraternitas, 1960.
2) Fr Leslie Ratus, ‘Miles to go, Promises to Keep’, 1986, page 6