Pannur-Manvi

The history of Pannur- Manvi Mission began when five young dynamic scholastics doing their theology came together one evening in the year 1998 to discern as to what they could do once they were ordained. After a long discussion and deliberation they felt that they should go to North Karnataka, the most neglected parts of the State, placing themselves at the hands of the Bishop, as their founder did five centuries ago. As a fruit of their deliberation 4 of them opted to do their diaconal ministry in the remote parishes of the Bellary diocese. One of them was St. Peter’s Church Jagir Pannur. Later they requested the Provincial that Jesuits take up the Pannur Parish for our pastoral and social involvement. Thus the Mission was officially started in the year 2002 with Frs. Eric, Joseph Monteiro and Maxim Rasquinha as pioneers.

With the view to uplift the poor and discriminated people of Manvi Taluka, Loyola School was started in the year 2004 with 40 students on the roll. Today this school has grown by leaps and bounds having 395 students, mostly Dalits, studying in this school in English medium. Further another school called the Xavier School with CBSE scheme began in 2007. The aim of this school is to facilitate Dalits also to study under the CBSE scheme, hitherto considered elitist. The growth of Pannur Mission seems unstoppable as the Pre University College came up in 2010 and the degree college in 2012. The Pannur Mission today has Loyola School, Xavier School, Loyola PU and Degree College, Loyola Kapipaladi School, Loyola Hostels, Arrupe Boarding House, St Peter’s Church and a Social work Centre with 1744 students, 112 collaborators and 10 Jesuits.