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St. Anthony's ChurchSirsi

A Brief History of the Church

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.

Rev. Fr. Cyril D’Souza

Parish Priest of St. Anthony's Church, Sirsi.
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Rev. Fr. Valento Fernandes

Asst. Priest , St. Anthony’s Church, Sirsi
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Our Former Priests

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