Catholic Missions in Andhra

centres, they were completely abandoned due to lack of personnel, so much so, that the Theatines and Augustinians themselves ceased to exist. - f One begins to wonder why the mission work suffered so much among the Telugus, while at the same time it prospered in the south. The first reason is that at a later period, after the fall of the Bisnagar kingdom, the country was under the muslim rulers. Secondly to add that many missionaries were not too interested in going to the interior of the country? Instead of affirming this statement, let us quote the words of Robert De Nobili, who wrote to his General in 1609: “It is, but too true, till that now, our Fathers have hardly tried to enter into intercourse with the people of the interior. Thus the way to the conversion of India is shut among the people of the interior. All our reputed missionaries are content to employ themselves in the colleges of Cochin and in the four residences we have along the coast, and shut their eyes to the innumerable multitude of souls living in those wide-spread lands of India. Only a few try to penetrate into them.”18 CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN ANDHRA: The first contact of the Telugu people with Christianity dates back to 1505 on the arrival of Fr. Luis de Salvador, a Franciscan