HISTORY
St. John’s Regional Seminary, Kondadaba, situated in the diocese of Visakhapatnam, is the Regional Philosophate of Andhra Pradesh. This institution came into existence as a result of the decision taken at the meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Bishop’s Council in February 1987, to separate the philosophy department of St. John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad, and transfer the same, preferably, to a rural area in the diocese of Visakhapatnam which has just celebrated the centenary of its erection, as diocese. Obviously, the decision to set up this seminary in a rural area was to have a formation with a rural bias. Since the large majority of the catholic population of this state belong to villages and most of the vocations to the priesthood are also coming from the villages.
After a year of sojourn, at R.V. Nagar, on 23rd July, 1988, the seminary started functioning at Kondadaba, a century old village parish, about 30 kilometres North West of Visakhapatnam, in the civil district of Vizianagaram.
According to an agreement signed between the Andhra Pradesh Bishops’ Council and the Salesian province of Bangalore on 24th May, 1990, the management of the seminary has been entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco for an initial period of three years, renewable for a further period of seven years. The pioneers in Kondadaba were Fr. Joseph Thekkel, Fr. Kuriakose Pallikunnel and Br Joshtrom Kureethadam.
The management of the seminary was given to the Salesians of Don Bosco[Sacred Heart province, Bangalore]. After the division of the Salesian Province of Bangalore, the Salesian Province of Hyderabad continue to staff the Seminary since 1992. The Seminary has now six resident staff members with five Salesians and a diocesan priest as spiritual director. The seminary brings in a good number of additional teaching staff in various disciplines from all over India, to manage the three-year programme of Philosophy cum Degree and make it holistic and wholesome in content and quality. The seminary has moved forward on many counts in these past years and the management continues to forge ahead with determination to enhance the quality of the seminary formation in this Regional Seminary.
The seminary is today completely maintained by the financial assistance received from ‘The Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle’.
SCOPE
- St. John’s Regional Seminary, Kondadaba, The Regional Philosophate of Roman Catholic Church in Andhra Pradesh, owned by APBC (Andhra Pradesh Bishops’ Conference) and managed bythe Salesian Province of St. Joseph, Hyderabad, aims to give a three year – Integrated Initial Formation to all the diocesan seminarians.
- By weekend ministry, the students and staff reach out to the near by villages and parishes to evangelize and to assist the Christian communities with pastoral help.
- Through the neighbourhood educational project it helps to improve literacy and quality of education.
ST. JOHN’S REGIONAL SEMINARY
KONDADABA
KOTHAVALASA – 535 183
VIZIANAGARAM DT.
ANDHRA PRADESH
(08966) 27 35 91 – Rector
(08966) 27 34 12 – House
(08966) 27 35 12 – Administrator
(08966) 27 44 12 – Principal
(08966) 27 46 12 – Dean of Studies
rector_kdaba@bsnl.in / ktjose@rediffmail.com