St. Anne’s Convent Gokunte

Our Presence in Gokunte was as early as 1966 but with the intention of serving Mulbagal school. Since there was no residence available, our pioneers of Mulbagal, stayed in Catholic village Gokunte, 17 kms away from Mulbagal. The Christians of Gokunte can be traced to Punganur, the cradle of Telugu Christians in Andra Pradesh. Our sisters stayed in a deserted mud house within the church compound. Due to lot of inconvenience for travel and other facilities, they shifted their base to Mulbagal.
It was in 1983 that at the request of Fr. Antony Mookenthottam, MSFS, the then Provincial Superior and with the due permission of the Archbishop Arokiaswamy of Bangalore, that we started a new convent at Gokunte.   There was already a government Kannada medium school with standards I-IV with a single teacher. The strength of the entire school was 24. The teacher was coming from outside and was not regular to the classes.
The pioneers of this community were Sr. Irene (Superior), Srs. Sandra and Merline. They reached on 29th May, 1983. The official inauguration was on 31st May, 1983. Fr. Abraham Pendanam, the then parish priest was kind enough to vacate the presbytery for the sisters’ use and he himself moved to a small room which was on the other side of the Church. We started with nursery classes. With strenuous and continued efforts of Sr. Irene and her companions, this school obtained first the permission then the recognition and finally got admitted to grant-in –aid on 22nd May 1989. Seeing the good work done by the sisters and the progress made by the children, the then Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Kolar, closed down the above mentioned government school and transferred the single teacher to another government school. Thus our school became the only and official educational institution around Gokunte.
A new residential building was constructed with a purpose of a formation house also, it was blessed by Archbishop Rev. Archbishop Alphonsus Mathias on 28th October 1987. On the same day, the sisters shifted their temporary residence from the old presbytery. With the help and support of the villagers of Gokunte, other neighbouring villagers and the staff members, the school flourished in all the ways. The first batch of students of VII std. appeared for the public examination of March 1991 and secured cent percent results. In the year 1992-93, the primary school was upgraded into high school without the aid from the government. Sr. Prema Antony was the first Headmistress succeeded by Sr. Sahaya Mary in 1993. With her guidance the school secured cent percent results in SSLC examination.
In view of having a separate convent for school sisters and for sisters working in dispensary (free from Formation house), another building was built adjacent to the prayer house and was blessed by Fr. George Puraidom MSFS and inaugurated on 21st April 1994. The school sisters shifted to the new house on 20th June 1994.  A free boarding was constructed in order to give education for the economically backward children of the neighbouring villages without any discrimination of caste or creed. Our congregation continues to meet their expenses. On 15th April, 1987, foundation stone was laid. In the year 1988 July 26th it was blessed and opened.

On 14th September, 1987 foundation stone was laid for the health centre. On 31st July 1988, St. Anne’s Health Centre, Gokunte, began to function in the newly constructed building. Sr. Dr. Grace Jose was in – charge of the dispensary and Sr. Rose Mary was assisting her as nurse. In 1991, Aug 8th Sr. Dr. Helen started her medical apostolate.

St. Anne's Primary and High School, Gokunte

St. Anne's Health Centre, Gokunte

St. Anne's Boarding, Gokunte