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Our Lady of Lourdes ChurchMundalli - Bhatkal

A Brief History of the Church

As the oral tradition goes there was a small Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, on the very spot of the present Church of Mundalli since about 85 years. Manki being the Parish Church, Murdeshwar and Bhatkal were its sub-stations. Gradually two more sub- stations, Ternamakki and Shirali, were added to Manki Mission unit. In the course of time Murdeshwar got the status of being the Parish Church, with Shirali, Ternamakki and Bhatkal as its sub-stations. These places were looked after for many years by Fr. Vincent Pereira of happy memories, Murdeshwar being the headquarters.

For most of the official work, fixing of marriage etc. people from Bhatkal always had to go to Murdeshwar and this was inconvenient for the people. Meanwhile the Franciscans (O.F.M.) were searching for a Mission in North Kanara. It was in 1974, that the Bhatkal mission was offered to the Franciscans. It was during Franciscan Pastoral Ministry that the present Parish Church was built and raised to the status of a Parish in 1983. On 23rd March 1989, Bhatkal was given to the Franciscans “in perpetuum” and the Bhatkal Parish is now under the care of the Franciscan Order of St. Thomas Province in India. The Church has its own cemetery behind the Church building on the hill slope, which has also a history of over 60 years. There is a sizeable portion of the Catholic population of Bhatkal Parish in the Muglihonda area. Fr. Nicholas D’Souza OFM wisely thought that the people there deserved a Chapel and so laid the foundation for the new Chapel at Muglihonda. Fr. Lawrence Pereira completed the building work in 1986. Though it bears the name St. Joseph’s Church”, it is only a sub-station (Chapel) of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mundalli. It is situated about 4 km to the south from Bhatkal bus stop on the Bhatkal-Mangalore road. Fr. Valerian Quadros O.F.M. is the present Parish Priest and he took charge from Fr. Dharma Bernard O.F.M. on 6 June 1998. 

Rev. Fr. Prem Kumar D’souza

Parish Priest Of Our Lady of Lourdes Friary (OFM) Mundalli.
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Rev. Fr. Dharma Bernard

Assistant parish priest (OFM), Mundolli, Bhatkal
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Our Former Priests

No
Year
Name of the Priests
01
1974 – 1974
Fr. Paul Fernandes
02
1974
Fr. Nicholas D’Souza
03
1976 – 1979
Fr. Angel D’mello
04
1979 – 1980
Fr. Paul Fernandes
05
1980 – 1983
Fr. Simon Pinto
06
1983 – 1986
Fr. Nicholas D’Souza
07
1986 – 1989
Fr. Lawrence Pereira
08
1989 – 1992
Fr. Valentine Crasta
09
1992 – 1998
Fr. Dharma L. Bernard
10
1998 – 2004
Fr. Valerian Quadros
11
2004 – 2007
Fr. Cajetan Laurenco
12
2007 – 2010
Fr. Alphonse Moras
13
2010 – 2014
Fr. Balthazar Pinto
14
2014 – 2016
Fr. Alwyn D’Souza
15
2016
Fr. Prashanth Fernandes
16
2016 – 2020
Fr. Nicholas D’Souza
17
2020 – 2021
Fr. Cajetan Laurenco
18
2021- Onwards
Fr. Prem Kumar D’Souza