St. Joseph's Church, Juhu

St. Joseph's Church, Juhu is a Roman Catholic church located in Juhu, Mumbai. It belongs the Archdiocese of Bombay, and its parish area is bound on the east by J.V.P.D. Scheme, on the west by Juhu Beach, on the north by Kapashi and Mora villages and to the south by the Royal Hotel. St. Joseph's was built in 1853 and consists of around 3500 parishioners.HistoryIn the years prior to the creation of the parish of St. Joseph’s, Juhu was a long, narrow island off the west coast of Salsette, just north of the city. Juhu was called “Juvem” by the Portuguese. The people of Juhu consisted of Bhandaris (toddy tappers), Agris (salt traders) and Kulbis (cultivators) mainly East Indians & there was a small section of Goans. At its north point, nestled the village of Juhu, with a Catholic population of cultivators who belonged to the parish of St. Blaise, Amboli, and at its south point, opposite Bandra, lived a small colony of fisher folk and cultivators who belonged to the parish of St. Andrew, Bandra.In 1853, the Vicar-Apostolic of Bombay, Dr. Hartmann, built a temporary chapel for the parishioners and placed Fr. Jacques S.J. in charge of the new parish. The following year a permanent structure was constructed on land offered by a parishioner. Fr. I. Colaco rebuilt the church In 1942.Parish OrganisationDilkhush Special SchoolThe school was established in Juhu in 1971 by the late Fr. A Sologran SJ. The Nuns of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus started with a small classroom of 15 children. The school caters to all round development of the mentally challenged students, emphasisizing on self care and pre-vocational skills besides functional and academic ones. The Sisters also run a Teacher’s Training Center offering training in specialized subjects in order to be able to help train Special children.