The small Catholic community in Kashmir is praying for peace after a terrible attack killed 26 Indian tourists on April 22. The attack, believed to be carried out by Pakistani extremists, has caused fear and sadness among many people in the region. It also created new tension between India and Pakistan, who have fought over Kashmir since 1947.
This mission of peace and service began long ago with the Mill Hill Missionaries. They first came to the area in 1884 to help Catholic soldiers and to share the Christian faith. In 1891, they built St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Baramulla, the oldest Catholic church in Jammu and Kashmir. It became a center for faith, education, and health care.
On 6th July, 1887, Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Prefecture of Kashmir and Kafirstan, whose territories extended from Kashmir to Kabul, and entrusted it to the Mill Hill Missionaries. Msgr. Ignatius Brouwer was appointed the first Prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture and was based at Rawalpindi. Initially the presence of the missionaries in Kashmir was severely limited due to administrative reasons. In 1888 Fr. Daniel Kilty MHM laid the foundations of the Leh mission. His first priority was to learn the local language. He stayed there till his death due to illness in November of the same year. His work was carried on by Frs. Hanlon, Donson and Simons who stayed there till the closure of the Leh mission in 1898. It would later be re-opened by the first Indian Prefect Apostolic Msgr. Hippolytus Kunnunkal. Later in 1892 Frs. Winkley and Cunningham constructed the first church at Baramulla, the cradle of the Catholic mission in Jammu and Kashmir! The Catholic mission in Srinagar was opened in 1894 by Rev. Frs. Cunningham and Donsen, MHM. The church was built by Franklin Winkley in about 1900. The territory of Jammu and Kashmir was ecclesiastically divided into two parts before the Independence. The Kashmir region was under the Prefecture of Kashmir and Kafirstan and later became part of the diocese of Rawalpindi while the Jammu region was looked after by the Belgium Capuchins from Sialkot and was part of Lahore Diocese.
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Bishop Ivan Pereira of the Jammu-Srinagar Diocese said, “We are praying in churches and in our homes. We walk with others carrying lit torches to show the light of God and the hope for peace.” He explained that people are afraid, especially after reports that police destroyed homes of suspected militants. “The attack was shocking,” the bishop said. “It hurt innocent people who were just on vacation. We believe justice must be done, and we hope the government will stop terrorist groups.”
In 1943, the Mill Hill Missionaries opened a school in Srinagar, which became known as Burn Hall School. But when India and Pakistan separated in 1947, the school was closed, and the missionaries moved to Pakistan. That same year, their church in Baramulla was attacked during a violent invasion, and several missionaries died.
Despite the fear, Bishop Pereira reminded everyone of the Catholic mission: to bring peace, friendship, and respect for all people, no matter their religion. He said Catholic schools, many of which serve mostly Muslim students, are important in building understanding and harmony. One of the oldest schools is the Catholic Institute of the Church of the Holy Family, started in 1893 in Srinagar. It is one of about 40 Catholic schools in the region.
One important Mill Hill Missionary was Father Jim Borst, a Dutch priest who came in 1963. He worked in schools, translated the Bible into Kashmiri, and helped many people. Even when he faced deportation in 2011, he stayed strong in his mission until his death in 2018.
Today, the Mill Hill Missionaries’ legacy lives on in the schools and churches they built. The Catholic community, though small—about 9,000 people in a region of 13 million—continues to bring hope and peace during these difficult times.
Bishop Pereira said, “Even in this time of fear, we trust in God. We feel united with the whole Church around the world, and this gives us strength to keep going.”
Adapted from Fides Agency
