Contact Details
Claretian Seminary
P. B. No, 5556, 28/12 18 th Cross Road
Malleswaram West
Bangalore 560 055
Karnataka, INDIA
Tel.: (+91) (0)80- 23341932; 23460680
E-mail: baclasem@vsnl.net

Mission:                     Pastoral Ministry
                                   Education

Inception and Development
For the formation of the students in Philosophy and Theology, a small house was purchased at Malleswaram, Bangalore in 1971 and it was named “Shanti Nivas.” The students used to go to St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary near by for their studies. Fr. Kuriakose Thekkilakattil became the first Rector of this study house.
Later a plot of land was purchased from St Peter’s Seminary, and a study house by name Claretian Seminary was built in it and it was inaugurated by Very Rev. Fr. Antonio Leghisa, the then Superior General and blessed by His Grace P Arokiaswamy, the Archbishop of Bangalore on 29 February 1976.

Formation of Seminarians
A good number of Claretains in India have had their formative studies done from Claretian Seminary. Even today there are students from all the three Claretian Provinces in India pursuing their studies here.

This house remains a place for inter-cultural dialogue. The Seminary has students from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu. It is the place that prepares the future missionaries. The students are involved in various action groups such as HOPE – a de-addiction action group, ASHRAYA – a group working among the slum dwellers, Young Students Movement – a group working with the school children, Moving Lights – a group for the students of Philosophy and Moral Science which engage regular classes in the schools.

Ever since its inception, Claretian Seminary played a big role in the growth and development of the Congregation in India. Until the completion of the Claretian Provincial House at Jalahalli, the Office of this major organism was operating from this House. All the pastoral activities of the Claretians in Bangalore too had their origin and growth from Claretian Seminary. The St Peter’s Church at Doddaballapur and the Syro-Malabar parishes undertaken by the Claretians such as St Thomas Church at Jalahalli, St Sebastian’s Church at Mathikkere, Blessed Alphonsa Church at Sultanpalaya, Mary Matha Church at Vijayanagar were also the concerns of Claretian Seminary in their beginning days.

Claretian Publications
The Claretian Publications functions from this Seminary Building. For more information on the publishing activites of the Claretians of the Province of Bangalore log on to www.claretianpublications.org

Pastoral Ministry:
SS Joseph and Claret Church, Dasarahalli
At present, the Saints Joseph and Claret Church at Dasarahalli, which was bifurcated from St Thomas Church Jalahalli, is an associated activity of the Seminary.Claretians of the Bangalore Province were involved in their mission amidst the migrant Syro-Malabar community in Bangalore since 1984. About 210 families living in Peenya, Dasarahalli and Chokkasandra areas belonging to St Thomas Church, Jalahalli longed for a separate church in their locality as the Parish church was far away for them. To address this need of the community of the faithful, the Missionaries purchased nearly 5,000 sq. ft. land at Dasarahalli in 1995. The work for the new church began on 28 January 2000. The church was consecrated on 9February 2003 by Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy, the Bishop of

HOPE- Anti-Addiction Action Group
HOPE, a De-addiction Action Group is another of Claretian Seminary. HOPE began as a students’ movement from Claretian Seminary in 1988 under the visionary leadership of Fr. George Kannanthanam.

HOPE is involved in

• Conducting surveys in different states of Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa to assess the situation of alcoholism and drug abuse.
• Organising National Youth Convention on drug abuse prevention, bringing together youth leaders from all over the country.
• Organising workshops on Treatment Methods for drug abuse and alcoholism, bringing together people from different treatment Centres.
• Conducting awareness programme for schools, youth groups, religious groups etc.