Holy Cross Church, Shirwad

Holy Cross ChurchShirwad

A Brief History of the Church

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.

Rev. Fr. Gabriel Monis

Parish Priest Of Holy Cross Church, Shirwad

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

Holy Cross Church Shirwad, Karwar – 581 306
Mass Timings

Our Lady of Piety Church, Kone, Karwar

Our Lady of Piety ChurchKone, Karwar

A Brief History of the Church

The history of Our Lady of Piety, Kone dates back to the times when the Padroado Missionaries came here to look after the spiritual welfare of the Catholic settlers from Goa and a few local converts. A large part of the present Karwar town was a marshy place but as the place got filled up a township developed and more and more people came and settled here since Karwar became the district headquarters. The small Church which was the enlarged version of an earlier Chapel, was the Spiritual Centre of all the Catholics from Kodibag, Baithkhol, Sezwad to Kone until a separate Church was built in Kajubag to take care mostly of the government servants who were migrants from the Propaganda Jurisdiction in South Kanara.

The present Church building with its concrete pillars and beams is the first concrete building in the town of Karwar. The building that began somewhere in 1942 was completed and blessed in 1947 and stands as a monument to the determination, the spirit of sacrifice, the faith and self-respect of a people who were economically poor but not in spirit and mind. They contributed through kind, labour and cash, collected funds locally and in Bombay through donations, raffles and fancy fete. No help was received from the Church authorities at all – a great achievement indeed! Late Fr. S. Carvalho who came after the construction of the new building gave the finishing touches and put up the steps. He and Msgr. A. Gracias are remembered with love by people of the older generation for what they have done for them.

After the reorganization of the Parishes in Karwar by the new Bishop in 1978 the Parish is reduced in area and number too. The total number of families is 120 and the total Catholic population is 450, quite a number of whom are old couples whose children have settled in Bombay or abroad. The Parish renewal that began with late Fr. A. G. Rego, an erudite scholar and pastor, continued by Fr. Anthony Lopez, Fr. Ambrose Fernandes, Msgr. Simon Tellis, has changed the attitude and ways of the people on the whole and it holds a great promise for the future. Fr Valerian Sequeira, Fr. Ireneus Dias, have served the Parish with vigour. Presently Fr. Edwin Paul D Souza is the Parish Priest..

Rev. Fr. Edwin Paul D’Souza

Parish Priest of Our Lady of Piety Church, Kone.

Our Lady of Piety Church KONE Karwar
Mass Timings

St. John the Evangelist Church, Chendia

St. John the Evangelist Church Chendia

A Brief History of the Church

The earliest known roots of Chendia Church date back to the year 1800 when the Church was at Ankola. The Priest from there used to come to offer mass and administer sacraments in one of the houses at Idoor (presently a vaddo of Chendia). Later a thatched hut was built there for this purpose. At the place where the present Church stands, stood a Chapel built 150 years ago.

When in the year 1921 Binaga was established as a Parish, Chendia was looked after as its Chapel. Separate sacramental registers for Chendia are maintained from the year 1933 1965. In 1980 Amdalli was erected as an independent Mission unit and Chendia was administered from there. Fr. Henry D’Mello was appointed the first resident Priest at Chendia in the month of June 1991. The construction of this new Church began in that year. In June 1993 Fr. John Wilson took over from Fr. D’Mello. The new Church was blessed and inaugurated on 20.10.1993. After Fr. John Wilson’s transfer in May 1994, this Parish was again looked after by the Priest from Amadalli. Fathers Britto D’Silva, Marian Menezes, Fr Joseph D Souza, Fr. Urban Santhosh Fernandes, Fr. Peter D Souza, Fr. Gnana Prakash Rao, have served in this Church. At present Fr. Antony Rodrigues (jr) is in charge at Chendia Church.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Rodrigues (Jr)

Parish Priest, St. John Evangelist Church Chendia.

St. John Evangelist Church CHENDIA -581 324
Mass Timings

St. Anne’s Church, Binaga

St. Anne's ChurchBinaga

A Brief History of the Church

The history of St. Anne’s Church is quite an old one, having its origin to the Church of Our Lady of Brotas on Angediva Island. Ptolemy the Greek Scholar showed Angediva island on a map he prepared in A.D. 150. The Portuguese were the first European power to step on this island and inhabit it from 1498 up to 1961.

It is said that Vasco da Gama, on his way back to Portugal from Calicut, landed on this island on 29.9.1448 for repairs of his ships, collecting sweet water and buying foodstuff from nearby villages. Then again on 22.8.1500 Dom Pedro Alvares Cabral came with 1200 Portuguese men and the first Missionaries consisting of 8 Franciscans and 9 Diocesan Priests who evangelised 23 inhabitants of the island. At the instance of Viceroy Francisco de Almeida, the first Latin Rite Catholic Church, dedicated to Our Lady of Brotas (named after the sweet water spring – in Portuguese Brotas means a spring) was built in 1506. About 200 families were living on the island during this time. Interestingly the seed of Christian faith was sowed on this island even before the birth of St. Francis Xavier, who came to Goa in the year 1542. In the 16th Century, the Pope consecrated the Mother Church on the Angediva island by a special decree at the request of the Jesuits. The insignia of the decree can still be seen on the walls of the Church.

In 1682 Dom Francisco de Tavora Conde de Alvor reconstructed the Angediva Church in place of the old one. However the present Church building was built in 1729. After the liberation of Goa in 1961, the Church on the island was looted of its belongings including the bell. Fr. Bruno Fernandes, took the initiative and with the involvement of the Parishioners made certain repairs and painting and for the first time celebrated the feast on the island on 2.2.1983. Since then there was some activity on this island. Later on Fr. Kurian Therady, made great sacrifices to repair the Church as also the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi. The present Parish Priest of St.Anne’s Church, Binaga continues the tradition started by Fr. Bruno Fernandes. Now the island is under the control of Naval authorities of the Govt. of India for the establishment of the prestigious Sea Bird Naval Base Project.

Initially the Church of St. Anne at Binaga was built in 1846 and was placed under the jurisdiction of Ankola. Later on it was rebuilt in 1897 and brought under the jurisdiction of Our Lady of Brotas Church, Angediva till about 1919. As per the baptismal records available in Binaga Church (from 1888), Fr. Antonio Joao de Andrade was the first resident Priest at Binaga. St. Anne’s was declared as a full-fledged Church in 1919 with Fr. Matheus Falcao as the Parish Priest.

The Binaga Church building being old and small, the need for a new Church was felt. The present Church, newly constructed, is the brain-child of Fr. Alfie D’Silva, in respect of its attractive design and the concept enshrined within its four walls. It was inaugurated and blessed on 11th May 2000. The Stations of the Cross with life-sized statues placed in the entire Church compound, as also the beautiful grotto in front of the Church give added impact to the palm tree landscape of the Church. This beautiful Church is already a landmark in the Coastal belt of Uttara Kannada, a place of pilgrimage and a tourist spot, a spot all must visit. Many vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life speak of the strong faith and moral fabric of the Parish. The Church at Binaga reminds of the rich tradition of the past and urges us to greater heights in the future. From the records available from 1889 till today 32 Priests have served this Parish. To name Fr. Antonio Joao Andrade, Fr. Eusebio D’ Sa, Fr. Estrocio Damian Cutinho, Fr. Santana Gabriel Braganza, Fr. Caitano Paul Mascarenhas, Fr. Paulo da Rosario Fernandes, Fr. Duarto Baretto, Fr. Santana Lawrenzo Pereira, Fr. Aniceto Nazareth, Fr. Minguel B. Pereira, Fr. Mathew Falcao, Fr. Caitano Ceceiro, Fr. Clement Caeiro, Fr. Natvidade D’ Souza, Fr. Joao Gratias, Fr. J.B. D Silva, Fr. Cyriac Mascarenhas, Fr. A.J. Saldanha, Fr. Alfred Roche OFM Cap, Fr. Ben Britto, OFM cap, Fr. Kurian Therady, Fr. Bruno Fernandes, Fr. Alphy D Silva, Fr. Britto D Silva, Fr. Antony Lopes, Fr. Francis Fernandes, Fr. Pascal Rodrigues, Fr. Bosteao Nazareth. Fr. Victor Dias is the present Parish Priest.

Rev. Fr. Victor Dias

Parochial Administrator St. Anne's Church, Binaga.

St. Anne’s Church BINAGA - 581 307
Mass Timings

St. Francis Xavier Church, Amdalli

St. Francis Xavier ChurchAmadalli

A Brief History of the Church

The Mission unit of St. Francis Xavier, Amadalli had long been the sub-station of Ankola Parish and looked after by the Priest from there. It was raised to an independent Mission unit in 1980 and Fr. Ambrose Fernandes was appointed the first Priest-in-charge. There are about 85 families in this Mission unit, which is a close-knit Community. Lively in the participation of the liturgy and ever ready to be of service, the people of the Mission unit of Amadalli have given many a Priest areal satisfaction. The Priest-in-charge at Amadalli also looks after the sub-station of Aversa where exists a Chapel dedicated to St. Anthony. There are eleven Catholic families in the Aversa area.

After Fr. Ambrose, Fr. Bruno Fernandes has served this Parish from 1983-1988. The new Church at Amadalli saw the light of day when Fr. Gregory Almeida was the Priest-in charge. The Church was inaugurated on 05.05.1993. He was followed by Fr. Marcus Tauro, Fr. Valerian D’Souza, Fr. Navil D Souza, Fr. Bosco Rebeiro, Fr Britto D Silva built a new presbytery. Presently Fr. Lawrence D Souza is the Parish Priest.

Rev. Fr. Peter Carneiro

St. Francis Xavier Church - Amadalli

No	Year	Name of the Priests
01	1980 – 1983	FR. AMBROSE FERNANDES
02	1983 – 1989	FR.BRUNO FERNNADES
03	1989 – 1994	FR. GREGORY D’ALMEIDA
04	1994 – 2001	FR. MARCUS TAURO
05	–	FR. NEVIL D’SOUZA
06	2001 – 2009	FR. VALERIAN D’SOUZA
07	2007 – 2009	FR. BRUNO FERNANDES
08	2009 – 2013	FR. BOSCO RIBEIRO
09	2013 – 2019	FR. BRITTO D’SILVA
10	2019 – 2025	FR. LAWRENCE D’SOUZA
11	2025 – Onwards	Rev. Fr. Peter Carneiro

St. Francis Xavier Church AMDALLI 581 324
Mass Timings