Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi
With inputs from Media Release
Udupi, May 24: Sacred Heart Church, Yermal, is all set to celebrate its silver jubilee in a grand manner on Friday May 25.
Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, bishop, diocese of Udupi will preside over the celebrations. A felicitation programme at the church premises will follow which will be presided over by bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo.
Dr Antony Fernandes, bishop, Bareily diocese, Msgr Baptist Menezes, vicar general, Udupi diocese, Fr Valerian Mendonca, chancellor of Udupi diocese and dean of Udupi deanery, John Wesley Kunder, pastor, CSI Bethel Church, Muloor, Uchila, Vedamurthy K V Raghavendra Upadhya, priest of Shree Mahalaxmi Temple, Uchila, Nagarathna A Karkera, president, Bada grama panchayat, Yermal, Gangadhar Karkera, advocate, general secretary Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha, Uchila, Dr Shaikh Mohammad Irfan, Ayush medical officer, Community Health Centre, Mulky, Fr Lawrence Rodrigues, parish priest, Sharlet Furtado, vice-president, parish pastoral council, and Vinay Quadras, secretary, parish pastoral council will be present on the occasion.
About Sacred Heart Church, Yermal
Sacred Heart Church is located near NH 66, Uchila. One ward of Shirva parish namely Yermal was the farthest ward of Shirva church. There were nearly 50 catholic families. For the spiritual needs of these families, the then parish priest of Shirva church, Fr Hilary Gonsalves, in the year 1939, started offering Mass at Louis D'Souza’s house, the then ward gurkar of Yermal. Later, Fr James Andrade and Fr Jacob Crasta continued this holy work. Louis D'Souza had built an alter made of stones inside his house to ease the celebration of Eucharist.
However in the year 1959-60, the place did not serve the purpose as it was inconvenient for the devotees and with the goal to build a chapel, Emmauel, Gabriel, Lawrence, Philip, Lucy, Martin and Simon donated 3.62 acre of land. With the efforts of all the Catholics of Yermal, a chapel was built, which was inaugurated by Msgr Hilary Gonsalves on April 25, 1961. Every Sunday evening, Eucharistic celebration was held at the chapel. Fr James Andrade, Fr Jacob Crasta, Fr Charles Saldhana, Fr Denis D'Souza, Fr Bernard D'Souza were the priests who have served this chapel. Fr Lawrence Rodrigues is the parish priest at present.
Soon, the administration of the parish was handed over to Kalathur parish for the convenience of the priest. The then parish priest of Kalathur church, Fr Charles Saldhana strived hard for the development of the chapel. A cemetery was also constructed for the convenience of the people.
Fr Alfred Pinto, the then parish priest of Kalathur church, tried hard to form a new parish at Yermal. Once all the conditions were accomplished, 10 catholic families which were under Mudrangady-Kenha parish were included and in the year May 25, 1993, a new parish was inaugurated. Fr Peter Nazareth was the first parish priest of the new church. Presently, there are 65 catholic families with four wards and 250 Catholic community members.
On May 14, 2015, a new church building and prestibry was constructed worth Rs 1.25 crore for the convenience of people.
Though Yermal parish has less number of Catholics, they are strong in their faith and love towards the clergy. Fr Leslie D'Souza and Fr Thomas Roshan D'Souza are the priests from Yermal parish. Also, many nuns are serving in the field of God who belong to this parish.
The priests who have served this parish are Fr Peter Nazareth from the year 1993 to 2000, Fr Henry Castelino from 2000 to 2008, Fr Vishal Lobo from 2008 to 2009, and Fr Lawrence Rodrigues from 2009 till date.
St Peter Chapel, Kaup was constructed in the year 1987-1988 near lighthouse, Kaup, for the needs of the Catholic fishermen from Kanyakumari and Kerala. Presently, there is a need for basic facilities for this chapel. Also, many other development works have been pending in the church premises. The pastoral council has requested kind hearted donors to come forward to complete the development works.