St. Montfort Hr. Sec. School - Banea

History of St. Montfort Hr. Sec. School, Banea

Banea Misssion Background: As far as the Banea Mission Background, as it is learned from the episcopal sources in Ambikapur, the advent of Monftfort Brothers of St. Gabriel of the Province of Delhi was as timely as the need of the hour for the Holy Catholic Church in late eighties and Nineties.

The Vatican II In Rome had the decree stressed in it, for all Religious Congregations to venture out to the villages to strengthen People faith in God, look out for more Religious Vocations and give an added attention to the Rural Apostolic, keeping in mind the “preferential option for the poor and the needy” in the Rural sector,” Specially the Tribal.

For our Brothers of St. Gabriel, It was a kind of fitting “eye opener” When the Brothers had to give up Junwani School in M. P. The Province of Delhi Promptly planned to start a village school to serve the Rural Poor and also to find ways and means for nurturing Religious vocations somewhere in M.P State itself. The Brothers looked for the possibility to some far-flung Tribal dominated area and it happened to be the village named Banea.

Chhattisgarh area (Formerly M.P State): -

Banea is a small village primarily dominated by the “Uraon” Tribal population. It is situated in the Sitapur Tehsil of Surguja District in the present State of Chhattisgarh, India. About 72 KMS From the centre of Ambikapur town, The Surguja District Headquarter, (By measurement), Banea Village is also inhabited by quite a few Yadavs, Gonds, Londhis, Guptas, Brahmins in sprikles.

So on 2nd of May, 1996 Rev. Bro. Philip the Provincial Superior of Delhi Province and Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete started from Bhopal for Ambikapur accompanied by late Sister Vridhichand of Ursulines Congregation of Sisters. There they met Rev. Fr. Jacharius Kujur at Bishop house where he had been the administrator of the Diocese for quite many years. He made it clear to Brothers that they were not going to get accommodation in their already existing schools. Instead, he advised them to have their own set up elsewhere. He promised them to give a plot of land at “Bhainsakhar’ Parish. But near Bhainsakhar there is a Government School already in existence at Rajapur which is very close to Bhaninsakhar. And it would be difficult to get permission from the Govt. education department.

In order to know more and choose a suitable place to start a new school Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete stayed on in the Bishop’s House, Ambikapur, consulting different Fathers and the administrator of the Diocese. While Bro. Barnabas was in lookout for a suitable place, there was a function at Banea where Bro. Barnabas came along with the Fathers of Bishop’s House to attend. It was an Adivasi cultural dance festival which Rev. Fr. Vincent had organized for the villagers of Banea Parish. Here, it was that Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete met Fr. Vincent and acquainted him with the intention of St. Montfort Brothers’ intention to open a new school. Having known the good intention of Brothers; Fr. Vincent was promptly ready to help the Brothers. Happily he took the first quick initiative to negotiate and take further steps for buying 12 Acres of land at the rate of Rs. 5000/ ( Five thousand) per acres.

Once the negotiation was finalized and purchasing of land was agreed upon, Rev. fr. Vincent Tirkey bought the 12 acres of it in the name of Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete. Rev. Fr. Vincent Tirkey accommodated the Brothers in the Parish residence and made arrangements to start the High school section. Rev. Fr. Vincent availed the Parish Hall and adjacent two rooms for taking regular classes. In the meantime Brothers Residential building and the school classrooms were under construction. Thus, the school was started under the able guidance of Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete. By that time, a newly professed Bro. Jeet Francis was sent to Banea for his first teaching ministry in the month of June, 1996. This was how the long cherished, proposed School started formally at Banea with two Brothers and two teachers for classes 9th and 10th, in July 1998, the Brothers’ living rooms were ready and our two Brothers shifted to St. Montfort Residence.

The makeshift class rooms were constructed in the promises of Brothers Newly bought land just a few metres from the Brothers Residence comprising of just 4 rooms. Later, the extension works were carried upon to raise School from 9th standard to 12th Once the School and classes got running smoothly, the naming of the school was left to be decided. In this regard Rev. Fr. Jacharias Kujur was insisting to name the School “Bharat Mata”High School, Banea. But Rev. Bro. Barnabas Tete was unwilling to change the School name. Other than that of our living founder St. Louie Marie De Montfort. So, the School was named after him as “St. Montfort School, Banea.

Later, some of the land purchasing was secretly done by Rev. Bro. Barnabas himself without the knowledge of either the Parish Priest or the Province authorities. Some of the front portion land; adjacent to Brothers Residence was negotiated in the name of Rev. Sr. Bertha, (St. Annes).

As of now the land negotiations which remained pending have been to the brink of completion. The school since then has been progressing in leaps and bounds. Tireless effort of our Brothers and the able assistance of some of the staff members have bore fruits in abundance. Our School has produced excellent results with each passing year and also the School proudly boasts of producing excellent students who have secured the desired results to become the topmost school in Sitapur, one of the best schools in cleanliness. Some of the Students have become district toppers as well as Tehsildars, Air force personnel, Army personnel, Business men, Tradesmen, BSF Personnel, Policemen and a number of Jobholders in Government as well as private sectors.

An added proud School to be counted among our state, one of our former students has recently become the DSP, rank holder in the Police Force department. One of our Girl students has been holding the Tehsildar Post, the topmost high ranking Crypto Businessman, while the other is a high ranked official in the SDM office.

Principals of St. Montfort Hr. Sec. School, Banea