Christraj Navachetan Special School

Navachetan Convent is situated in a nature-blessed place called Venur on the banks of the river Palguni in BelthangadyTaluk of Dakshina Kannada District, fifty-five kilometres north-east of Mangalore on the Mangalore – Dharmasthala highway. The hard work of earlier missionaries bore fruit with the establishment of Christ the King Church in 1937. Christa Raj Ashram came into being in 1972 where the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters gave the taste of God’s love by their dedicated service at Venur. Navachetan Convent was a filial house and on August 11, 2007 it became a full-fledged community.

Lions club of Venur was running a special school for differently abled children since 1988. Due to lack of trained personnel, the Lions club was finding it difficult to continue the work. In 1998, they approached the Ursuline Franciscan sisters of Venur with a request to take charge of the school. Sr Madtha D’souza the then superior of Christa Raj Ashram, Venur brought the matter to the knowledge of the Provincial Superior Rev. Sr Doreen D’Souza who immediately gave the green signal because it would add to the humanitarian service the sisters render in different fields other than formal education.

On September 20, 1998 Mr. Hilary Pereira, President of Lion’s Club, Venur handed over the charge of the special school to Rev. Sr Doreen D’Souza, the Provincial Superior of Mangalore Province. Christraj Navachetan Special School was officially inaugurated by most Rev. Dr. Aloysius P. D’souza, Bishop of Mangalore on March 15, 1999. On June 1, 1999, Sr Severine Veigas took charge as the first Principal of Christraj Navachetan Special School. The school started with 12 differently abled students. Sisters worked hard and faced many tough challenges to bring the students from their houses to the school. On July 24, 2000 the school got permission and recognition.

By now a residential school for differently abled had become the recognized need. Hence on June 1 2004, a residential school for the differently abled was opened, as an integral part of the existing Navachetan School. Sr. Lilly Gomes succeeded Sr. Severine Veigus as Principal of Christ raj Navachethan Special School from June 2010 to 2015. Sr Flavia Lewis worked as a teacher in Christraj Navachethan Special School for Seven Years and she is now working as the Principal of the same school from 2015.