St Ann Church is located near to Wadi Railway Junction, around 70 Km away from Gulbarga. The Catholic presence in Wadi was after the establishment of Wadi junction in Wadi. A few Goans and Mudgal Villagers came in search of job. All these were industrious people and most of them acquired land and some of them small shops.
It is said among the Goans one of them namely Mrs Angelica D’Souza wife of Mr Charles D’Souza gave two of her houses to be used as church in the beginning that was near the Municipal office building, while disposing her other houses before leaving Wadi for Goa. It was converted into a chapel and till 1973 Eucharistic celebrations were taking place in that chapel.
Before 1924 the spiritual needs of the people at that time were looked after from Hyderabad. After the formation of Bellary Diocese Parish Priest of Raichur, was attending to the spiritual needs of the Catholic up to 1940.
From then till 1961 it was attended from Chittapur. In 1961 Fr. Silvester OFM and Fr. Antony Puthukalam were appointed to Wadi to look after the welfare of the Catholics of Gulbarga District. From Chittapur Fr Antony shifted his residence to Shahabad because there were more practicing Catholics
When ACC cement plant was planning to start, the Parish Priest made contacts with the company about the availability of an English medium school at Wadiand St Ann’s nursery school was started in the chapel in 1967.In 1970 at the request of Bishop Ambrose P Yeddanapalli, Sisters of St Ann from Madavaram opened their convent in Wadi and took over the administration of the school naming it as St Ambrose convent school. Gradually as Catholic population increased, Fr Antony was appointed 2nd time as residential priest of Wadi. Asthe old chapel was not spacious enough, the existing Parish place was purchased in 1974.In 1976 after completing the building, it was inaugurated.
In 1998 the Infant Jesus Chapel was built for the convenience of Nizam Gate Catholics in the place donated by Mr.Anthonappa. Fr. Silverster OFM, Fr. Antony, Fr. C.V. Siva S.J, Fr. Thomas Illikallil Msfs, Fr. Henry Fernades, Fr. Y.S. Peter, Fr. N.A. Vincent, Fr. Irudayaral, Fr. Roque, Fr. Stany Lobo and Fr. Fredrick, Fr. Faustine Lobo OCD were the Priests who served till 2014. At present Fr. Wibert Vinay Lobo is the Parish Priest.

St. Ambrose Convent,  Wadi – 09-06-1970

(Service to the children of Wadi)

Sisters of St. Anne of Chennai :

The congregation was started in the year of 1874 by a vibrant widow Mother Thatipathri Gnanamma from Andhra Pradesh. Today they are spread all over the world doing different ministries. The Foundress had a dream to give education to the girls. Today this dream of the foundress is fulfilled through education ministry as well as social work, evangelization, hostel etc. There are over 700 sisters in the Congregation.

Our first step to Wadi :

St. Ambrose Convent in Wadi is the only house of the Congregation in the Diocese of Gulbarga. Wadi is a small town and majority are Lambadies. The languages spoken are Kannada, Hindi and Marathi. The Specialty of this area is the availability of the raw material required for cement. The ACC Factory manufactures oxide cement on a large scale with the raw material from the rocks. This ACC has provided employment opportunity to a good number of people. Being an industrial area, large number of educated people have migrated from other places and settled in colonies with their families. There was no opportunity for education here for want of good educational institutions. They wanted an English medium school in the area and made request to Most Rev.Ambrose, the bishop of Bellary at the time of his pastoral visit to Wadi and he came forward to help them. As Mother Imelda, the Superior General, was well known to the bishop, he invited her to open a house and a school at wadi, assuring her financial aid from the management of the ACC Factory for school and the convent.

St. Ambrose Primary School :

This school was established in 1970. Until 21-5-1973, it functioned in a rental building. At present more than a thousand children study here. Most of the students are children of the ACC workers. The sisters strive hard to impart quality education combined Gospel Values. The school has Permanent Recognition of the Government (EI.4C.44536 R.C.5/80-81).

St. Ambrose High School :

For years, the people were clamoring for a high school as they wished their children to continue their studies in the school itself with its good standard. They even assured the sisters that the ACC factory itself would provide the school building. To comply with their request, High school classes were stated in 1984. The school building raised with financial help from the ACC was opened by its General Manager, Mr.Morkar on 05-06-1985. The high school building was expanded in1987 with additional facilities. The old building was demolished and re-constructed in1992 and it was opened by Tiru Ramachandran, the contractor. Now about 2000 students (boys and girls) from various places around Wadi study here. On average the percentage of results is 95%.

Community strength :

There are four sisters and all are involved in the education ministry and evangelization ministry. They are happy to render their service to these people, but it is a great challenge to meet the needs of the students. This area has a peculiar type of students who are very rough and tough to handle. They have taken as a challenge to educate with values.

Evangelization :

They sisters are involve in the parish activities like preparing the children to receive sacraments and teach catechism , visiting the families, preparing for liturgy, praying Rosary with the families, Taking effort to conduct Holy Childhood Day, Mission Sunday, Youth meeting, Women etc.

Convent: Sisters of St. Ann, Chennai (SSA)
St. Ambrose Convent
ACC Cement Colony, Wadi
Kalaburagi 585 225
Tel: 08476-202340, 203592
Superior: Sr. Theckla Mary SSA 8050376606

Institutions:
St. Ambrose School (Pry & H. School)
HM: Sr. Sevrine 8050376606