One of Mumbai's oldest Catholic churches, St Anthony's in Malwani, Malad, is planning a new building to accommodate one of the fastest-growing congregations in the city. However, the church's heritage-listed building, constructed in 1835, will be preserved as a venue for weddings and other celebrations.
Historical accounts trace the church to the 1630s when it was built to serve Marve, Malwani, Rathodi, and Kharodi villages. The area is now in the middle of a construction boom, with new residential areas like Jankalyan Nagar, Bhoomi Park, and other developments. With the proposed expansion of the Coastal Road and the 2 of the Metro, the area is expected to increase in population.
Father Cajetan Menezes, the parish priest, said that church space is already insufficient for the existing congregation. "When the church building was built in 1835 there were only 1000 members; the numbers are 15,000 now. In a few years, we will touch 19,000 - as much as Orlem (currently one of the largest parishes in the Bombay Archdiocese)," said Menezes.
The current exterior with the extension | Image accessed by Free Press Journal
During religious services, people have to stand outside the church. "There are gravestones outside and worshippers are worried about accidentally stepping on them. The compound has to be covered during rains and the annual feast of the patron saint to accommodate church members. Menezes said the old church building cannot be demolished because of its protected status. The church building, extended 35 years ago, cannot be expanded further for various reasons. The priests' living quarters, the parochial house, were recently lost due to the widening of Marve Road. The church received a compensation of Rs 4.3 crores for the loss and is seeking compensation for the land lost to road widening.
Apart from a new church building that will accommodate 1500 worshippers, a hall and living quarters for the priests are part of the plans. The architectural designs are on the drawing board and the church is raising funds. Church members have put up stalls at the Mount Mary Fair in Bandra to raise funds. Clinton Dsouza, member of the church's Parish Pastoral Council, said, "With the high-rise buildings and office buildings coming up here we expect the Catholic population to go up substantially. After the Parochial House was demolished the priests are living in rented apartments. We have formed a fund-raising committee with priests and parishioners as members.
The church was burnt twice during the Maratha-Portuguese wars in the 17th and 18th centuries and remained dormant till reconstruction in 1835. A statue of St Anthony, designated as the 'Saint of Miracles' was brought from Portugal and installed at the main altar.
