The Northern Province (comprising of the present day Delhi and Ranchi Provinces) got divided into two Regions in the year 1982. It was governed by one Provincial (Bro. CM Joseph). Montfort School, Delhi housed the Regional headquarters as well as the Provincialate till it got shifted to Bhopal. The two Regions became autonomous Provinces in the year 1989 and Bro. Emmanuel PJ was appointed the first Provincial of Delhi Province.
Bro. Emmanuel, not happy with the arrangement of having Provincialate in the school set up, was on the lookout for a suitable, independent plot of land for the purpose. After much search, he decided on Bhopal, bought two acres of land at Patel Nagar.
It was at this period (in 1989) we received an S.O.S. request from the Bishop of Jammu and Kashmir (Bishop Hippolytus) through his brother priest Fr. Thomas Kunnunkal, the then Chairman of C.B.S.E. to take charge of Burn Hall School at Srinagar. The case was recommended by Bro. John of S.H. The request was only for a brief period of 12 years. The Provincial in council accepted to the request and deputed Bro. Mani VJ to head the mission. In October 1989 Bro. Mani left for Srinagar alone, to take charge of Burn Hall School, with the assurance that two more Brothers would join him later.
In January 1990, the school was handed over to us, at the peak of militancy and uprising in Kashmir. Bro. Mani was joined later by Bro. Raja followed by Bro. Cyriac Francis. In spite of all odds we hunged on, facing bravely the challenges posed by militancy. After 12 years the diocese took the school back and the Brothers had to retract from Kashmir. Bro. George Pottakaran was the last Principal who served in Burn Hall. The promise to permit us to start a school of our own provided in the initial Memorandum of understanding was turned down by the then Bishop Peter Celestine.
There were many dominant militant groups and some of whom did not want our presence there. We called for a Patents Meeting to discern if they wanted a qualitative education for their otherwise deprived children. They were to consult among themselves for which an hour was provided. They were told that we had not opened our bags yet and we could return any time. When they reassembled they were clear that they wanted us to function without any interference. As such the school took off without any direct interference.
Institutions which came under Delhi Province at the time of separation from Ranchi Province:
St. Charles’ Inter College and St. Francis’ Boarding at Sardhana (1955)
St. Gabriel’s Sr. Sec. School, Jabalpur (1959)
Mahanagar Boys’ School (now Montfort Inter College) Lucknow (1959)
St. Gabriel’s Academy, Roorkee Cantt. (1962) [St. Gabriel’s Academy was taken back by the army (BEG) after 50 years’ contract had expired. Bro. NT Cyriac was the last serving Principal at our withdrawal.]
Foundations developed under the independent Province of Delhi
1987 - Candidates House, Jabalpur
1970 - Montfort Sr. Sec. School, Delhi
1973 - Francis’ Sr. Sec. School, Bhopal [Taken over from the diocese]
1990 - Burn Hall School, Srinagar [of J & K diocese]
1993 - Montfort Sr. Sec. School, Mandla
1994 - Montfort Sr. Sec. School, Roorkee
1996 - Montfort ITC, Khandwa
1996 - Montfort Sr. Sec. School, Banea
1997 - Montfort Sr. Sec. School, Bhopal
1998 - Pre-novitiate, Jabalpur
1998 - Montfort Bhawan (candidates house) Sardhana [Shifted from Jabalpur]
2006 - Charles Lwanga Sec. School, Port Moresby (PNG)
2010 - Kopen Sec. School, Wabag (PNG) [The school was taken from the diocese. The mission in Wabag had to be terminated in 2013, due to unforeseen circumstances.]
2017 - Montfort School, Raipur[First foundation] Closed down in 2021 due to the Central Govt. acquiring the property for developing national highway.
Property purchased for developing future institutions:
18 acres of land at Berasia near Bhopal.
6 acres of land at Faridabad, Haryana (Delhi Diocese).
6 acres of land on Haridwar Rd. (Roorkee).
3 acres of land purchased for expansion adjacent to Montfort School, Bhopal.
7 acres of land for starting Montfort School again at Raipur (2022).
5 acres of land for a Satellite School at Jabalpur 2023.
20 acres of land at Sehore was purchased (Bhopal).
