Holy Cross Church, Donihalla
Holy Cross Church Donihalla
The Catholic presence in Holavalli Village dates back to the eighteenth century when people migrated in search of fertile land with water facilities for cultivation and irrigation. They moved from Chandavar, specifically from the St. Francis Xavier Parish area, located 20 km away. The settlers utilized the water of the Aghanasini River flowing from Siddapur Ghats for their cultivation.
Despite having a sizable Catholic population, the area lacked a chapel or a place of worship until 1960. At that time, Fr. Rahul Dsa from Chandavar Parish addressed this need by offering Mass in a small thatched pandal dedicated to The Holy Cross. However, this chapel was insufficient for the growing number of people, and the location was prone to flooding during the rainy season when the Aghanasini River overflowed.
In response to these challenges, Fr. L. M Lobo purchased 3 acres of land in 1967 and erected a chapel using granite stones. The priest conducted Mass once a week, but during the three months of the rainy season, no Mass was held. To further serve the community, a wooden Cross was erected on a nearby hill under the guidance of the priest. This wooden Cross was set up by boys grazing their cattle on the hill.
In 1986, during the tenure of Fr. Victor Crasta as the Parish Priest of Chandavar, the wooden Cross was replaced with a concrete one. The 3 acres of land, initially acquired by Fr. L. M Lobo, were officially registered in the name of his successor, Fr. Thomas Taora. Presently, Rev. Fr. Cyril Miranda serves as priest in charge.
No | Year | Name of the Priests |
|---|---|---|
01 | 2016 to 2017 | Fr.Reginald Pinto |
02 | 2017 to 2018 | Fr.Felix Lopes |
03 | 2018 to 2022 | Fr.Stany D’souza |
04 | 2022 Onwards | Fr.Cyril Miranda |
St. Joseph’s Church, Manaki (Kumta)
St. Joseph’s ChurchManaki - Kumta
One cannot miss the beautiful facade of the St. Joseph’s Church, Manaki on the National Highway 17 as one draws close to Kumta town. Overlooking the river Aganashini, the Church is already a known and identified spot for the town of Kumta, as one proceeds towards Mangalore. For long, a faithful segment of St. John Baptist Church, Kumta, the old timers of Manaki and Divgi muse with pride that they were the first ones to occupy the front seats in the “Honmav Church” though they had to traverse not less than 5 kms on foot.
The Chapel dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker, which existed at the present site of the Church, is supposed to have been built at least a hundred years ago, by the settlers who migrated from the Kumbal Kasarkod area of Honavar Taluk. Bifurcated from St. John Baptist Church as an independent unit in 1992, Fr. Augustine Lobo was appointed the first Priest-in-charge of the Church on 11th Feb. 1992. Though the building of the Church was an urgent task entrusted to Fr. Augustine, he saw to it that the community was formed first, before the building of the temple. After him Fr. Peter Carneiro, Fr. Britto D Silva, Fr. Joachim Furtado, have served the people. Presently Fr. Wilson Fernandes is the Parish Priest.
- St. Joseph’s Church MANAKI Kumta – 581 343
- 08382-226451
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Christ Light of the World Church, Madangeri
Jesus The Light of the World Church, Madangeri
Gokarn is a sacred place for the Hindus who throng to pay homage to the deities from all over India. It was natural that our Bishop thought of opening a Christian Centre at the approach to Gokarn, as a centre of dialogue and communication in this area. Thus was born the concept of Christ the Light of the World Church at Madangeri. As the title of dedication suggests, our role of projecting Christ as “Light of the World” to the teeming millions of India is part of our Mission.
The construction of the new Church and Presbytery at Madangeri was supervised at various times by Fr. Thomas Misquith, Fr. Henry D’Mello and Fr. Mathew Lewis S.J. The Church is a loving gift of Mr. Sam Alphonso, Kuwait in memory of his late mother, Mrs. Piedade Alphonso, which was inaugurated on 8.1.1987. Fr. Mathew Lewis was the first Parochial Administrator of this Church. Fathers Prakash Rao, Fr Benedict Rodrigues, Fr. Stany D’Cunha, Fr. Valentine D Souza have served the parish. Presently Fr. Antony Rodrigues is the Parish Priest.
- Christ Light of the World Church MADANGERI – 581 344 Ankola Taluk
- 08382-226451
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St. Vincent Pallotti Church, Kadle
St. Vincent Pallotti Church Kadle
On 7th December 1997, our Bishop established a new Parish bifurcating from the main Parish of St. John the Baptist, Kumta and dedicated it to St. Vincent Pallotti, while entrusting the same to the Pallottine Fathers. Fr. Freddy D’Souza SAC was appointed the first Parish Priest and since then he has been taking care of the all-round development of the Parish consisting of four villages, namely Chitrigi, Plot, Kadle and Holangadde.
At present the religious functions/activities are being conducted in a small Chapel which is old and can hardly accommodate the increasing number of the Parishioners. In the systematic development and functioning of the Parish, the construction of the new Church is an urgent need. Thus, on 22nd January 2000, our Bishop blessed the Foundation Stone of the new Church dedicated to St. Vincent Pallotti which was laid by Fr. Freddy D’Souza SAC on 29th August 2001. The work of the new Church is in progress. The total number of families in the Parish is 74. Presently Fr. …………………….Is the parish priest.
- St. Vincent Pallotti Church KADLE, Holangadde- 581 351
- 08382-226451
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Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Deevalli
St. Francis Xavier Church, Chandavar
St. Francis Xavier Church Chandavar
As the only Shrine and Pilgrimage Centre of the Diocese, Chandavar Parish has an eventful history. St. Francis Xavier Church, Chandavar, is a long-standing memorial to the great Saint, who is responsible for the faith up-bringing of the Christians in North Kanara. On 3rd December every year, all roads lead to Chandavar for the annual feast celebration.
The original Church of St. Francis is recorded to have been built in 1678 during the reign of Basappa Nayak, one of the Bednore Kings of the Keladi Nayak Dynasty. Being a great commercial centre and customs station, the present day Chandavar was once a flourishing town with many Christians in the 17th & 18th centuries. The decline of the population and destruction of the Church is attributed to Tipu Sultan who caused untold miseries to the Christians in the area by destroying the Church and taking the Christians into captivity by the end of the 18th century. The chronicles record that the Church at Chandavar was rebuilt in 1801, and a second time in 1874. But Christianity degenerated in this area and on January 31, 1897 it was included in the Mission of Kumta. Subsequently it was again made into an independent Parish on July 13, 1919. The existent old Church is a fruit of the untiring efforts of the great Goan Priest Fr. Sebastian D’Mello.
The Statue of St. Francis Xavier in the Church is supposed to have been brought and handed over by a fisherman from Mirjan, who was blessed with favours in his family after this “catch”! In 1934 Msgr. Joao Salvador da Veiga, the Parish Priest of St. John the Baptist Church, Kumta, contemplating the difficulties of the people of North Kanara to make pilgrimage to Goa requested the Patriarch of Goa and obtained from him a relic of St. Francis Xavier which is now preserved in the Church and exposed for veneration on the annual feast day.
The old Church, though an imposing edifice, was judged to be beyond normal repairs. And so was built the new Church of Chandavar in the area adjacent to the old Church. The Church construction was painstakingly supervised and built with many liturgical
signs and symbols when Fr. Anthony Lopez was the Parish Priest. Though the Church was inaugurated on 26th May 1999, it was obvious that the construction work left much to be desired and so it was left to Fr. Denis Mascarenhas, the present Parish Priest to undertake extensive repairs of the Church. Fr. Antony Rodrigues (Jr), Fr. Francis Miranda, Fr. Salvadoore Gonsalves, have served the Parish. Fr. Faustine Furtado is the Present Parish Priest. The Chapels in the sub-stations of the Parish are: O.L.of Fatima Chapel (Madgeri) and St. Luke’s Chapel (Hebbankeri). The Masses are celebrated at least once a week in the sub-stations. It is heartening to note that the distance from the main Church, the non-availability of regular spiritual assistance or other inconveniences have in no way diminished their faith nor dampened their cultural fervour.
- St. Francis Xavier Church Chandavar – 581 323 Honavar Taluk Uttar Kannada District
- 08382-226451
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Our Lady of the Sea Church, Bankikodla
Our Lady of the Sea ChurchBankikodla - Gokarn
Twenty five years ago, a month before the new Diocese was born, Fr. E.A.S.Barros, Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Sea Church was seated one evening outside on the verandah of his old Presbytery. From a distance he saw a tall Priest walking towards the Presbytery. Fr. Barros welcomed the tall figure and asked him who he was. The Priest answered “Fr. Barros, from 29th April, I shall be your Bishop!” Good old Fr. Barros was almost on his knees paying his respects to the bishop-elect of Karwar, Rt. Rev. Dr. William L. D’Mello, on his maiden visit to Gokarn! Fr. Barros spent thirty-four years of his Priesthood in this interior Parish, in those years when it was even inaccessible to the public. Prior to him, Fr. A. J. Saldanha of happy memories was also in this Parish (from 1941-1951)
There is a curious account of how the Church came to be named as the Church of Our Lady of the Sea. Sometime towards the end of the 19th century, a ship is supposed to have been caught up in a storm unable to reach the shore. It is then that they saw a wooden statue of Our Lady come floating by. They recovered the statue and vowed to build a Chapel if they succeeded in reaching the shore safely. They did, and the sailors are supposed to have built a small edifice to keep the statue, which was the first Chapel in a predominantly non-Christian area.
Gokarn, as is known to all, is a pilgrimage center for the Hindus. The old Chapel was blessed on 16.5.1886. The Bankikodla Mission was made a sub-station of the Kumta Parish. Bankikodla Chapel was raised to the status of a Parish on 30th Aug. 1951 with Fr. E.A.S. Barros as the first Parish Priest. Though subsequently the Church as also the Presbytery were repaired and renovated, a new Church and New Presbytery were considered necessary. The new Church was inaugurated in the year of the Diocesan silver Jubilee on 11th Feb. 2002, on which day is celebrated every year the annual feast of the Church. Fr. Thomas Misquith, Fr. Samuel Fernandes, Fr. Bruno Fernandes, Fr. Gnana Prakash Rao, Fr. Benedict Rodrigues, who supervised the construction the new Parish building, Fr. Stany D Cunha, Fr. Gabriel Monis, Fr. Stany D Souza have served the Parish. Fr. Joachim Monteiro is presently the Parish Priest of the Church.
No | Year | Name of the Priests |
|---|---|---|
01 | 1951 – 1982
| E.A.S. Barros |
02 | 1983 – 1984 | Fr.Thomas Misquith |
03 | 1984 – 1985 | Fr. Samuel |
04 | 1986 – 1988 | Fr. Egidious Monteiro |
05 | 1988 – 1992 | Fr. Bruno Fernandes |
06 | 1992 – 1999 | Fr. Gnanaprakash Rao |
07 | 1999 – 2006 | Fr. Benedict Rodrigues |
08 | 2006 – 2012 | Fr. Stany D’ Cunha |
09 | 2012 – 2017 | Fr. Gabriel Monis |
10 | 2017 – 2018 | Fr. Stany D’ Souza |
11 | 2018 – 2025 | Fr. Joachim Monteiro |
12 | 2025 – Onwards | Fr. Joachim Furtado |
- Our Lady of the Sea Church Hanehalli, BANKIKODLA – 581 319 Uttar Kannada District
- 08382-226451
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Holy Rosary Church, Ankola
Holy Rosary ChurchAnkola
Towards the end of the 17 century, the Jesuits are supposed to have been the ones to have built the Church at Ankola, coming as they were from Anjediva, where they were already well established. This first Church was dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. By the end of the 18 century, at the time of the captivity of the Christians by Tipu Sultan, Ankola was already a flourishing town with a Catholic population of about 7000! The Ankola Church which was destroyed at the time of Tipu’s persecution, was rebuilt in 1801. In the monsoon of 1877, its walls came down. A new Church dedicated to Our Lady of Rosary was built and blessed on 18-12-1899, After the Catholic population dwindled the Church was made a sub-station and there was a time when Ankola was served by Priests from even as far as Honavar.
There are at present 56 Catholic families here. Of the Pastors who served in this Parish. Frs. A.J. Saldanha is held in revered memory as he was appointed twice to this Parish for a total number of about 30 years (1952-1961 & 1964 – 1985). The present Church was constructed in 1984. The Chapel that is dedicated to Infant Jesus Sunksal which is about 35 kms away from Ankola on the road to Yellapur was the sub-station of Sunksal where the. 33 families live in this area and priests from Ankola looked after their spiritual needs. Now Sunkal is made as an independent Unit with a resident Priest.
Fr. Pedro Vitorino B. Mendonsa, Fr. Clemento Caitano, Fr. Mariano Ciceira, Fr. Louis Caitan Apoline fernandes, Fr. Joao Gregorio Amario Gratias, Fr. P.L. Lima, Fr. Fr. Antonio J. Saldanha, Fr. Louis Lobo, Fr. Willie D’ Silva, Fr. C Almeida, Fr. Chrysostom Rodrigues, Fr. Bonaventure Rodrigues, Fr. Andrew Pinto, Fr. Wilson Fernandes, Fr. Michael Pinto, Fr John Abel D Souza served in the Parish. During the tenure of Fr. Michael Pinto New Church building was constructed. Presently Fr. Lawrence Pereira is the Parish Priest.
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary ANKOLA 581 314
- 08382-226451
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Holy Cross Church, Shirwad
Holy Cross ChurchShirwad
Puneeth Sadan, the abode of holiness, houses the Holy Cross Mission, Shirwad. The proximity to the Railway station and shifting of sizable population from Karwar to Shirwad side has brought in more Catholic families to this side. The Mission has already about 60 families.
On 24th June 1988, Fr.William Rasquinha was appointed as the first Priest-in-charge. Makkeri is also part of the Shirwad Mission. It has a Chapel dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. The Chapel of Makkeri was renovated in 1996. Since 1999 Fr. David Pinto, then Rector of the Holy Cross Orientation Centre not only looked after the Spiritual needs of the Shirwad Mission but he saw that a new and a decent building came up due to his hard work. After him Frs. Jerome D Souza, Fr. Lazarus Miranda have served the mission. Presently Fr. Gabriel Monis is looking after the mission.
No | Year | Name of the Priests |
|---|---|---|
01 | 2006 – 2010 | Fr. Benjamin Dsouza |
02 | 2010-2015 | Fr.Thomas Misquith |
03 | 2015- 2021 | Fr. Jerome dsouza |
04 | 2021- May 2023 | fr. Lazarus Miranda |
