Beltangady: Holy Redeemer Parish Turns 125, to Get New Church Building

Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (RD)

Beltangady, Apr 28: Holy Redeemer parish is on the threshold of its post centenary silver jubilee celebrations which will be held from Sunday April 29 to Sunday May 6. On the occasion, a new church building and jubilee memorial hall will be inaugurated and blessed.

Holy Redeemer parish, located near Jamalabad Fort built by Mysore ruler Tippu Sultan; has a history of 125 years. It’s a testimony of Christians who sustained faith despite the atrocities of Tippu. The martyrdom of hundreds of Christians inspired the faithful to lead a life centered on Christian values.

Fr James D'Souza (parish priest), Fr Paul Prakash D'Souza (asst parish priest)

John A D'Souza, Lancy D'Cunha, Vincent T D'Souza

New Church Building

Fr Vaz erected a thatched roof chapel in Atyandka in Nada village situated at the present location of Manjotti in 1870. Fr Piad D’Souza relocated the chapel to the hill here as various department offices were located in town. The access road to Chikmagalur–Beltangady passes near the chapel during 1880-85. Bishop Dr Perini of Mangalore Diocese laid the foundation stone for constructing a church building on the location of the chapel in 1908.

There were about 100 families in the parish and this has grown to 640 with a total of 6,500 parishioners living peacefully. The backend of the church building was withering and accommodating the huge congregation during Sunday Mass was a problem and hence, a new building to commemorate the post centenary silver jubilee celebrations was planned by the parish council. Accordingly, Bishop Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza laid the foundation stone for constructing the church building on August 6, 2010.

Beltangady parish was the parent church for parishes in Naravi, Arva, Venur, Badyar, Indabettu and Ujire except Madantyar, Nala and Nainad parishes in Beltangady deanery. Both Jesuit missionaries Fr Corty and Fr Gaviraghi Jiyelli served as parish priests at this parish, covering far-flung villages either by foot or horses to serve the spiritual needs of parishioners. Dr P P Pinto, a medical practitioner in Badya and his compounder who became a secular priest and later served as Bishop Dr Raymond D’Mello were the famous personalities of Beltangady parish at that time.

Twenty-two priests had served Beltangady parish so far. Among them Fr Albert Pinto served the parish for 16 years and reached out to Malayali parishioners living in far-flung villages of Charmady, Neria, Totattady, and neighbouring villages and covered several miles on bicycles in order to serve their spiritual needs by offering Holy Mass in Malayalam.

Fr E P Dias was a zealous priest who served the parish for seven years. He opened St Theresa Girls High School as he believed that women empowerment begins with education. The nuns of the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation were entrusted with the duties of managing the school. He was the first priest at the newly-set-up parish in Ujire, near here, and instrumental in setting up Anugraha Education Institution.

The centenary celebrations were held during 1985 when Fr Henry Machado was the parish priest.

Fr James D’Souza, an energetic priest is serving as the 23rd parish priest at Beltangady now. He is the guiding force to celebrate post centenary silver jubilee celebrations with pomp and gaiety. Fr Victor Pinto was the first assistant priest appointed by diocesan authorities in 1960, while Fr Paul Prakash serves as the 20th assistant parish priest now, helping Fr James in the pastoral duties.

The nuns of Ursuline Franciscan Congregation are also teaching at St Theresa Composite Pre-University College that belonged to the parish with student strength of 638 and 31 teachers. They are also engaged in social service, helping the poor, and counseling the troubled families. Holy Redeemer Kannada Medium School has a student’s strength of 750 and English Medium School has 210. The community gathering, ward-wise programmes that are organized regularly in the parish strengthen the parishioners’ bond. The parish has units of Catholic Sabha, Franciscan Third Order, Pompei Sodality, rice fund, wedding fund, burial fund, St Vincent de Paul Society, YCS, Legion of Mary, choir group, altar boys and also self-help-groups promoted by the parish to empower the financially-weaker parishioners.

Parish council vice-president Vincent D’Souza, secretary John Arvin D’Souza, jubilee committee convener Lancy D'Cunha, leaders of different wards are collectively working for the success of the post-centenary silver jubilee celebrations.