Rev. Fr. Cyril D’Souza
Parish Priest of St. Anthony's Church, Sirsi.
St. Anthony's ChurchSirsi
About the Sirsi Catholics, it may be said, a few migrant Christians from the coastal belt who settled in the up ghat sections of Sirsi could have organised themselves into a community towards the later half of the 18th century. Till 1860 the Christians in Sirsi were looked after by the Priests from the Ankola Parish and from 1861, Sirsi was a sub-station of the Kumta Parish. The first Chapel was built and inaugurated on 18.10.1865. Thereafter the Church was constructed in 1875. This Church, as it was found to be too small and in a dilapidated condition was reconstructed with the help of the Portuguese Government and subscriptions from the public.
t was inaugurated on 18.11.1936 when Fr. Albert Mascarenhas was the Vicar. Being a commercial centre in the District, Sirsi has a higher percentage of Christians. Besides the Christians of the town area (Hubli Road and Agasebagil). the Priests residing at Sirsi also served at the sub-stations Siddapur and Sampkand, where groups of Christians formed small communities. The Hubli Road as also Agsebagil areas were bifurcated into independent Parishes. Hulekal. Gadgeri and Banavasi are the main sub-stations of St. Anthony’s Parish, Sirsi. Fr. Peter Machado took charge of this Parish from Fr. Fernando Menezes on 3rd June 1996. The construction of the new Church, the foundation stone of which was blessed by our Bishop on 11 Nov. 1998. The Neo Catechumenate is opened in this Parish since 1987. The Lay Associations like Catholic Association, Catholic Women’s League, St. Vincent de Paul, Youth Association are active in the Parish. Fr. Paul Sequeira, Fr. Denis Mascarenha, Fr. John Fernandes have served the Parish. Presently Fr. Cyril D Souza is the Parish Priest.
The Parish School, called as St. Anthony’s Primary School which was started around the year 1967 and managed by a group of Parishioners was handed over to the Diocese around the year 1970. Fr. Michael Kattakayam who was appointed Head Master of the School put up a new building for the Primary School in 1974. The High School section was started in the Hubli Road area where a new building was put up in 1982 The management of the High School as also the care of the Catholics residing in the Hubli Road area were handed over to the Fathers of the Salesian Congregation in May 1995.
| Year | Name Of Asst Parish Priest |
| 25-04-1965 to 17-03-1967 | Victor Crasta |
| 01-06-1974 to 30-05-1985 | Michael Kattakayam (In The School) |
| 25-05-1980 to 29-06-1983 | Fr. Joe D’Souza |
| 30-06-1983 to 31-05-1984 | Lawrence Pereira |
| 01-06-1984 to 30-05-1985 | Johny Fernandes |
| 31-05-1985 to 29-05-1995 | John Fernandes (In The School) |
| 30-05-1986 to 05-06-1987 | Lawrence D’Souza |
| 06-06-1987 to 12-06-1988 | Gregory Almeida |
| 13-06-1988 to 30-05-1989 | Reginald Pinto |
| 01-06-1989 to 14-04-1990 | William D’souza |
| 04-06-1989 to 18-05-1991 | Henry D’Mello (In The Farm) |
| 15-01-1990 to 15-05-1995 | Peter D’souza (In The Farm) |
| 18-05-1991 to 08-02-1993 | Augustine Lobo |
| 09-02-1993 to 02-06-1996 | Natvidad Rodrigues |
| 18-11-1993 to 30-05-1994 | Robin Das |
| 03-06-1996 to 27-05-1998 | Wilson Fernandes |
| 01-09-1996 to 31-05-1997 | Bosco Ribeiro |
| 01-02-1998 to 02-06-1999 | Joe Pinto |
| 28-05-1998 to 24-04-2001 | Gabriel Lopes |
| 25-04-2001 to 19-06-2004 | Cyril D’souza |
| 19-06-2004 to 11-06-2006 | Holenston D’souza |
| 22-12-2004 to 31-05-2005 | Ignatius D’Souza |
| 13-06-2005 to 19-06-2006 | Lazarus Miranda |
| 10-06-2006 to 14-06-2008 | Edwin Paul D’souza |
| 07-12-2006 to 31-03-2009 | Viliet Fernandes |
| 15-06-2008 to 30-05-2010 | Rohan Fernandes |
| 02-06-2010 to 02-05-2012 | Cyril Miranda |
| 25-02-2008 to 31-05-2011 | Joachim Monteiro |
| 01-06-2011 to 25-05-2013 | Joachim Fernandes |
| 02-05-2012 to 01-06-2014 | Gregory D’souza |
| 26-05-2013 to 06-05-2016 | Naveen Tauro |
| 01-06-2014 to 21-05-2017 | Ronald D’souza |
| 06-05-2016 to 15-07-2021 | Stephen D’souza |
| 21-05-2017 to 13-05-2023 | Alwyn Patrick D’sa |
| 26-06-2021 | Silvan Rodrigues |
| Year | Name of Parish Priest |
| 08-01-1866 to 29-04-1877 | Antonio Carto De Souza |
| 30-04-1877 to 27-04-1878 | Pedro Salvador De Souza |
| 28-04-1878 to 05-12-1883 | Miguel Jose Das Remedios Dias |
| 06-12-1883 to 01-08-1893 | Eilias Piadade Dias |
| 02-08-1893 to 17-01-1897 | Joao Gabriel Das Mascarenhas |
| 18-01-1897 to 15-04-1902 | Francisco Xavier Vaz |
| 16-04-1902 to 31-01-1907 | Deodato Piadade Da Costa |
| 01-02-1907 to 15-04-1912 | Mario Jose Levy Gonsalves |
| 16-04-1912 to 15-04-1922 | Floriano Jose Joaquim Joao Fernandes |
| 16-04-1922 to 24-05-1923 | Dumingo Gartano Soares |
| 25-05-1923 to 29-11-1931 | Jose Maria Carmelitada Padade Miranda |
| 30-11-1931 to 15-04-1934 | Paulo Francisco Saldhana |
| 16-04-1934 to 28-04-1937 | Alberto Antonio Mascarenhas |
| 29-04-1937 to 12-02-1939 | Natividade De Souza |
| 13-02-1939 to 30-11-1939 | Antonio Joao De Brito Mesquita |
| 01-12-1939 to 15-02-1942 | Sebastiao De Souza |
| 16-02-1942 to 05-06-1950 | L. A. Figueiredo |
| 06-06-1950 to 05-10-1959 | Luis Mathias Lobo |
| 06-10-1959 to 17-03-1967 | Caitano Vishent Borges |
| 18-03-1967 to 30-06-1983 | Rudolf Miranda |
| 01-07-1983 to 31-05-1984 | Stany D’Cunha |
| 01-06-1984 to 03-05-1986 | Vincent Pereira |
| 31-05-1986 to 04-06-1996 | Fernando Menezes |
| 05-06-1996 to 14-06-2004 | Peter Machado |
| 15-06-2004 to 25-06-2011 | Paul Sequeira |
| 26-06-2011 to 21-05-2017 | Denis Mascarenhas |
| 22-05-2017 to 13-05-2023 | John Fernandes |
| 14-05-2023 | Cyril D’Souza |
