HISTORY OF OLPH PARISH – FUJAIRAH, UAE.
Former Apostolic Vicar of Arabia Late H. E. Bishop Bernard Gremoli with Fr. Barnabas Maddii visited the area, especially Khorfokkan for the first time in the mid of 1970’s to scout for possible places of worship. In late 1970’s, Fr. Attilio Franceschetti, Parish Priest of St. Michael's Church, Sharjah, began to look after Khorfakkan with religious services once in a month in private houses for the people of the area, comprising Fujairah, Kalba and Dibba. The Priest’s evening journey from Sharjah to the East Coast was not an easy one, as there were no street lights, isolated way with no proper roads, the disturbance of animals crossing the road and so on.
Later Masses were held in Fujairah every other Tuesday in a house officiated by Fr. Eusebius Deveri, Fr. Felicio Diniz, Fr. Angelo Fiumicelli, Fr. Edmund Fonseca and Fr. Godwin Gama from Sharjah parish. As time passed by and with the increase in the catholic community, requests for Holy Mass started flowing from other parts of East Coast too. Hence gradually the priest had to visit places like Kalba and Dibba also. Meantime Bishop also realized that to cater the spiritual needs of this growing community there was a dire necessity for a permanent place and Fujairah was selected as the central location.
