History of Fatima Church

In the year April 1951, heaven smiled on the little, unknown and insignificant town of Ambarnath, when Fr. J. Albuquerque and Fr. Cyril Noronha first landed here. This was a place where rogues, pickpockets and anti-social elements ruled the roost, and our Founding Fathers must have possessed extra-ordinary courage and a supernatural vision of great things in store. In a short while, by June 1952, Fatima School was started. The ground floor of the school building was blessed by His Excellency Cardinal Valerian Gracias on 6th November, the same year. This institution which had a humble but noble beginning, has now become the most prestigious and respected school in Ambarnath, winning laurels on the district level too.

Surely Our Lady of Fatima, our Patroness, who is the Seat of Wisdom has guided and blessed us. Many of us still hold nostalgic memories of the ground floor of the main school building, which served as classrooms with its thick wooden partitions, that could be opened and closed. When opened the partitions transformed the classroom into a hall for cultural programmes and movies, and more important into a church where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and other liturgical services were held.

13th October, 1967, was a day written in golden letters in the annals of the history of Ambarnath. It was the inauguration and blessing of the new Church of Our Lady of Fatima by Rt. Rev. Ignatius D'souza, Bishop of Baroda. The first Parish Priest of the new church was Rev. Fr. Tome Moniz, an able administrator with love for the people that made up his Parish. The Catholic community along with many others rejoiced and gave praise to God for the wonderful blessing of a new Church. All the people looked up in awe at the magnificent church located on a hillock, and Our lady of Fatima, our patroness, in the person of her statue on the top, looking down with graciousness upon Ambarnath and with joined hands invoking God's blessings on it's people. It was and still is the most impressive and majestic structure in Ambarnath.

Since then the Parish has seen tremendous growth in every aspect. On 14th April, 1985, 'Satchit, the residence of our Priests was inaugurated by Ret. Rev. Alex Dias of Port Blair, during the tenure of Fr. Ubaldo Fernandes, the Parish Priest. Other significant blessings that God has bestowed upon this Parish, include the gift of a beautiful and comfortable Blessed Sacrament Chapel, a Miraculous Cross Chapel and a beautiful grotto of Our Lady of Fatima, that we encounter just as we ascend the steps at the front entrance of the Church. Many are the people who have come to Ambarnath, with mixed feelings, not knowing what the future holds in store for them. But almost all have grown in love and affection for this Parish and will say with confidence, " Yes, Our Lady of Fatima has blessed us abundantly".