The presence of Goans in Pune dates back to 1778 when a Portuguese artillery officer Dom Miguel (Michael) de Norenj (Noronha) joined the Peshwa’s army.
In Maratha records, he is referred to as ‘Musa Naran’; ‘Musa’ stands for Monsignor and Naran for Norenj. Dom Miguel Norenj had a platoon of Goan Catholic soldiers.
Many other Portuguese mercenaries including a few ethnic Goans followed him with their own battalions. Lt. Col. Jose Antonio Pinto of Candolim and Joaquim Luis Antonio Vaz of Diwar are names of other noteworthy Goans. Maratha Riyasat refers to them as ‘Musa Peet’ and ‘Musa Vas’ respectively. This strongly suggests the strong presence of Goan Catholics in Pune at the time. Needless to say, Chapels and Churches follow in the footprints of Goan Catholics.
By 1788, there were around 100 Portuguese and over 200 Goans in the Peshwa army, according to ‘Maratha Portuguese Relations’ by P P Pisurlencar.
Dom Miguel de Norenj requested the Archbishop of Goa to send a priest to look after the religious and spiritual needs of Goans in Pune. Acceding to this request, the Archbishop deputed Padre Joaquim Vincent de Menezes who arrived in Pune in 1790.
Since there was no chapel or residence for the priest, Dom Miguel de Norenj gave Padre Menezes rooms in his own home and all religious rituals were conducted from his residence. At the same time, Dom Miguel also appealed to his master Savai Madhavrao Peshwa (1774-1795) and Nana Fadnavis to grant him a piece of land to build a place of worship. The Peshwa graciously offered money, a piece of land where the present Church still stands.
Dom Miguel de Norenj also collected contributions from Goan soldiers and broke ground on the new church on December 8, 1792, the Feast of Our Lady. On December 25, 1792, the Christmas Mass was celebrated under a thatched shade on the grounds of the church under construction.
Fr Menezes requested the Archbishop of Goa to send money for the Chapel. Unfortunately, he received a rather cryptic response: “We are waiting for the ship from Portugal”. Some records suggest that both Dom Miguel and Padre Menezes had to resort to a loan to complete this Chapel. In 1794, the Chapel was ready and was named ‘Nossa Senhora de Conceicao’ (Our Lady of Conception).
Padre Joaquim Vincent de Menezes, who was a Carmelite Tertiary priest, lived in Pune till 1804. He also served the mostly French Roman Catholic soldiers from Shinde’s army camped at nearby Wanawadi.
From 1800 onwards, there were frequent requests from the Vicar Apostolic of Bombay (under Propaganda Fide) to hand over this Chapel to their care. However, Fr Menezes and the Archbishop of Goa refused this request.
Fr Lopes da Conceicao succeeded Fr Menezes in 1804. There is a mention of the Peshwa awarding an annual Congrua-Grant of 633 Xerafis (Ashrafie), which was subsequently reduced to 226. After the defeat of the Marathas in 1818, the British East India Company continued this grant.
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