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Jyothi Niketan, Narsaraopet |
One of the main concerns of the Society after they entered in Andhra missions was to recruit and train local vocations to the Society. It was Fr. Joseph Madathany, as provincial, who was the moving spirit to start a minor seminary in Andhra to train local vocations. The missionary meeting held at the Catholic Centre, Ramachandrapuram, on 21st July, 1978, a three member committee consisting of Fathers Augustine Karamel, John Vattamattom and John Kalayil was constituted to select a suitable location.
The committee met and discussed the topic with the ordinaries of Nalgonda, Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Guntur. Vijayawada was found the best suitable place and the Bishop welcomed the Society and the authorities in Andhra Loyola College. The Provincial Administration wanted further study and appointed Fr. Philip Koran for this.
Fr. Koran approached Bishop Mummadi Ignatius of Guntur for advice and help. The Provincial Administration appointed Fr. Koran himself as the first Rector of the seminary and entrusted him to build a suitable seminary. Before the house was ready for occupation, Fr. Koran and his regent Frt. Varkey lived with four boys in a rented house in Guntur not very far from Bishop’s House. They moved into own house on 14-09-1983. Thus a dream became reality!
Father Koran began the seminary with four boys and each year the number increased. With untiring energy and undiminishing zeal he traveled and visited schools, hostels and parishes as vocation promoter. He work for 7 years (1980-1987) as the Rector, Prefet, Procurator and Promoter of vocations, laying a strong foundation for the the Society in Andhra. He was helped by Brs, Varkey, B. Rayappa (died in an accident on 6-04-1982), Henry Peter, Sojan Varghese and Varghese Eraplackal.
Brs. M. Anthaiah and Henry D’Souza were regents when Fr. Muthanatt was the Rector. Fr. Luke was appointed asst to Fr. Philip in 1986. Fr. Paul C. Vattathara served as vocation promoter from 1987 for a year and he was followed by Fr. Luke Mundakal who was also the assistant Rector with Fr. George Muthanatt who succeeded Fr. Koran in 1987.
The succession of Rectors is as follows Frs. Koran, Muthanatt, Luke, Varkey V.V., Bali Reddy, A.Jesu, etc. Fr. Anthaya Madanu was ordained as the first Telugu priest in 1990. Even to this day Jyothi Niketan is flourishing with good vocations who come from different parts of Andhra Pradesh.
