Bethany Ashram, Pune

BETHANY ASHRAM, PUNE

A Historical Note on Bethany Ashram, Ramwadi

Bethany Ashram is located 6 k.m away from the Pune city, on Pune-Ahmed Nagar Highway. Towards the west from Bethany Ashram, we have the Fransalian Seminary, De Nobili College, JDV and Papal Seminary. Towards the south, there are so many religious congregations beginnining with CMI. Towards the north is the Nagar Road.

Bethany Ashram, Pune has a history dating back to the mid Fifties of the last century. Until then, candidates were sent to the seminaries of Kandy, Thiruchirapally and Aluva for priestly training. Cardinal Eugene Tisserant, the then prefect of the congregation for oriental churches, during his visit to the Malankara Church in December 1953, urged the Bethany Ashram superiors to start a scholasticate. Along with the initiative of some of our fathers and with the insistence and  financial support of the Cardinal the decision was taken to have the center of priestly formation in Pune

The first group of Bethanians, under the leadership of Fr. Gabriel OIC, Bros. Francis Sales,Augustine Kailath, Franis Xavier, Athanasios, Cyril Malancharuvil, Ambrose Mootheril,Thomas Mavileth, Sylvester and Philip reached Pune on June 8, 1954. The MSFS and CMI fathers received them at Pune Railway station. The generous hospitality of the Fransalians solved the initial problems of accommodation. While they stayed in the Fransalian seminary they were looking for a house of their own. The group was shifted from Fransalian seminary to the newly bought house called sunset view belonging to the Mrs. Willstrop, the widow of Major Harvey Willstrop. On 30th April 1955, Msgr. Gonsalves blessed the house. It was officially christened as St. Mary’s Bethany Scholasticate. The formation house at Pune brought all the members of the Congregation in priestly formatioin under one roof. Very soon, two more acres of land were acquired and a new building was constructed in 1962. In the academic year 1970-80, the house celebrated its Silver Jubilee. Since 1955 this ashram has been a place of spiritual guidance for the Malankarites in and around Pune. Along with the staff of Bethany Ashram, the students too are involved in pastoral activities of the Malankara parishes established in Pune.