Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD/NP)
Udupi, Apr 30: Christ Church, Manipal a Christian religious institution situated amidst the international city of Manipal is all set to be inaugurated and blessed after a major renovation of the church building. The inauguration and blessing of the renovated church will take place on Friday May 1, 2026 at 9 am.
The new building of Christ Church, Manipal was inaugurated on December 5, 2015. Due to the requirement of major repair works the church has undergone renovations and drastic changes. The solemn Eucharistic celebration will be presided over by Dr Leslie Clifford D’Souza, bishop diocese of Udupi along with Dr Gerald Issac Lobo, bishop emeritus, diocese of Udupi and Dr James Patteril, bishop of Beltangady. Inauguration will be followed by the blessings of newly built Marian grotto, Belfry and renovated church.
Christ Church Manipal is known globally and internationally with the Christians across the globe through the students who came for education in Manipal. Manipal saw more number of Christian faithful from various places, who had to travel Udupi to attend Sunday service.
Most of them being non-Konkani speaking people there was necessity of masses to be held in English. It was Fr Sylvester D’Souza, the then chaplain of St Cecily’s Convent, who realized the need for religious service in English. When he approached Dr T M A Pai with the request, permission was granted to him to conduct Holy Eucharistic Service on Sundays and other days of obligation in the Kannada Primary School, Manipal. Such a service was celebrated for the first time on July 12, 1959. Thus the Catholic Community of Manipal came into existence officially on that day.
Later there arose the need for a church in Manipal. Within a year, there arose the need for a church in Manipal. Fr Sylvester moved from pillar to post to get some land at a convenient distance from the centre of Manipal. The late R M Andrade, Convent View, Udupi was generous enough to donate 12 cents of land opposite to the English Primary School, Manipal to build the church. Even the foundation stone was laid at this site, but due to certain difficulties, an alternate site had to be obtained. Overcoming all hurdles, he finally managed to obtain the present site of Christ Church, a two-acre plot from the government of Karnataka.
The plans for the construction of a church were finalized and on Palm Sunday March 22, 1964, the foundation stone was laid. Hoping for cooperation and liberal donations from the student community, their parents and well-wishers from in and around Manipal, and with trust in providence, Fr Sylvester went ahead with the construction.
Through the mediation of John, a parishioner Sripapthy Acharya of Bharath Construction, Udupi, agreed to complete the church building without any advance payment. Without his help, the building of Christ Church would not have been a reality.
The church was inaugurated on January 17, 1967 by Cardinal Valerian Gracias, archbishop of Bombay.
Fr Sylvester Cardoza also undertook the work of presbytery immediate after the construction of the church building. The building with six rooms and a kitchen, came up soon. Finally, from May 1, 1968 Fr Sylvester took up residence in Manipal with a fully functional church.
Fr Sylvester then dreamt of a Youth Centre for various activities of the youth of Manipal. With a donation from the Propagation of Faith, the foundation stone of the Youth Centre was laid on January 11, 1970. With the amount available and personal loans, Fr Sylvester could complete the first phase of the Youth Centre Building.
In the meantime, the work of improving the two acres plot was undertaken at a considerable cost. Just at this juncture, at the invitation of the parents and the former students of Manipal, from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Fr Sylvester went on a three-month tour there. On his return, the second phase of the Youth Centre Building was completed in December 1978. The Youth Centre was formally inaugurated on December 3, 1978 by His Grace Tan Sri Dominic Vendargon, former Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Under the leadership of Fr Joseph Cardoza, the church started its own educational institution in later 2000. Christ school, an English medium school under the state board came into existence which later obtained no objection certificate from the state board and School was upgraded to Central Board with CBSE syllabus.
Due to rise in the parishioners in the community, the church faced constraints in space especially during the Sunday congregations. The parish council and parishioners felt the need of new church building. On November 13, 2014 Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, bishop of Udupi laid the foundation to the new church building.
The new building of Christ Church at Manipal was inaugurated and blessed in a befitting ceremony on December 5, 2015.The architect of the new church building Deepak D'Souza handed over the keys to bishop of Udupi Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, who in turn handed it over to the Manipal parish priest Fr Francis Lewis, who opened the main door of the church and symbolically inaugurated the building.
Bishop Dr Gerald Lobo led the mass, while bishop of Shivamogga diocese Dr Francis Serrao delivered the homily. The church plaque was unveiled by the main donors Hillary and Lorna Pinto, who also inaugurated the church corridor. Jerry Vincent Dias and his wife Molly inaugurated the grotto of Divine Mercy while Walter and Thelma Almeida inaugurated the grotto of Mother Mary and the fountain of Baptism was inaugurated by Julian and Cynthia Lewis.
Later in December 27, 2020 bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo inaugurated and blessed the Parochial house of Manipal Parish. Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo celebrated the Holy Eucharist along with Fr Fredrick D’Souza, parish priest of Manipal, Fr Rolwin Fernandes, Asst parish priest and Fr Chetan Lobo, PRO of Udupi diocese. Fr Chetan Lobo preached a meaningful homily.
From the establishment of the Christ Church Manipal, the development of the church came under the leadership of 9 parish priests : Fr Sylvester D’Souza (1968 – May 26, 1979); Fr Stany Tauro (May 26, 1979 - May 14, 1983); Fr John Mendonca (May 14, 1983 - 1987); Fr Walter D’Mello (1987 - 1994); Fr Harold Mascarenhas (1994 - 2001); Fr Joseph Alphonse Cardoza (2001 - 2008); Fr Francis Xavier Lewis (2008 - 2016); Fr Frederick D'Souza (2016 - June 9, 2022); Fr Romeo Francis Lewis (from June 9, 2022 onwards). Fr Frederick D’Souza handed over the responsibility of the parish to Fr Romeo Lewis on June 9, 2022 with confidence of bringing significant changes to the church.
Fr Romeo Lewis is known for his remarkable ability to take on even the most challenging tasks with courage and determination, ensuring their successful completion. Under his leadership, the church has grown tremendously, both spiritually and socially, gaining recognition across the diocese of Udupi. He has also played a key role in giving the parish school a new facelift, fostering development in every area. This progress has brought great joy to the people of Manipal.
Fr Romeo Lewis had a clear vision of strengthening up the spiritual life of the people. From the beginning, he started visiting families, which helped him understand their mindset, situations, and the needs of the parish. He soon realized that remaining within the church premises would not be effective; instead, he needed to reach out and actively involve the people. To achieve this, he initiated Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) and organized BEC meetings in each ward.
Today, under his leadership, all six wards are functioning effectively within a short span of time. This initiative has brought parishioners together, fostering fellowship, strengthening relationships, and encouraging a shared life of prayer. Every year in the month of October, the PPC members, 20 commission coordinators, and members of various pious associations come together to prepare plans for the entire year. These are then consolidated into the Pastoral Plan Book – Way Forward.
For the first time in Manipal, Fr Romeo Lewis initiated a structured blueprint of pastoral activities at the beginning of the year. This initiative enabled the faithful to actively follow the pastoral programs and plan effectively for each activity of the church. He placed great importance on the liturgy. He invited Fr Boniface Pinto, former director of Mangala Jyothi, to provide liturgical training to the parishioners. His belief was simple yet profound: if the liturgy is celebrated well, everything else will fall into place. Around 160 people benefited from this training, with one or two representatives from each family participating.
Under the leadership of Fr Romeo Lewis, he encouraged that the Rosary was prayed in families during the month of October and at the grotto during the month of May and took the initiative to train many parishioners to serve as Eucharistic ministers. He has taken keen interest in children’s catechism, both in English and in the mother tongue. Examinations are conducted twice a year, and quiz programmes are organized to help children become more familiar with the Bible, the lives of the saints, and other aspects of the church.
Ward-wise Christmas celebrations are also organized, bringing together both Catholics and non-Catholics in a spirit of unity and joy. Additionally, devotion to the Holy Cross was initiated by Fr Romeo Lewis in the Jubilee year 2025, ensuring that it was taken to every house in each ward, bringing abundant blessings to the families. He has always shown great care and concern for the sick by personally bringing them Holy Communion.
Currently, 20 commissions are actively functioning in our parish. On every occasion, these commissions step forward to organize various programmes. Special prayer services are organized for the youth, reflecting his deep concern for their spiritual growth. Fr Romeo Lewis personally ensures that hymns are selected according to the liturgical theme and that proper practice is given to the choir, making the celebrations more meaningful and vibrant. Fr Romeo has encouraged and organized pilgrimages to holy places, providing parishioners with opportunities to come together in prayer and reflection. These spiritual journeys have enriched their faith and strengthened their sense of unity and belonging.
Christ School, in collaboration with the Rotary Club, organized a blood donation camp. With the generous contributions of the parishioners, Fr Romeo Lewis facilitated the construction of two houses for the poor. He has also extended support to several needy families by helping them renovate their homes, educate their children, and access healthcare benefits.
Fr Romeo organized self-help groups for women in the wards. Currently, there are three active self-help groups through which economically disadvantaged people can access loans for various needs such as house construction and their children’s education. He took the initiative to organize interreligious prayer meetings and expressed solidarity with people of other faiths by celebrating festivals such as Deepavali and Christmas together.
Upon his arrival in 2022, within just ten days, the ceiling of the church began to collapse. The matter was promptly reported to the bishop, who then deputed a building committee to inspect the site. Following their visit, the engineer, finance committee, and building committee collectively concluded that the ceiling required complete replacement. The bishop subsequently granted written consent for the renovation of the church. With the necessary permission secured, he took a courageous step to initiate the project and transform the church with a renewed vision.
Standing tall at the heart of an educational hub, the church façade now beautifully symbolizes the veil of the Risen Lord, enhancing its striking and spiritual presence. The stained-glass panels depicting the Old and New testaments, create an atmosphere of prayer and worship. The awe-inspiring altar with his creative idea is one of wonder and admiration Christ School Development. Along with the church, he also transformed the parish house by giving it a proper infrastructure. As a result, the parish office now maintains more than 100 files.
Fr Romeo has taken a keen interest in the development of the school by introducing improved bus facilities, principal’s chamber, modern office, VIP Lounge, 50 computers added to computer lab, upgraded library, drinking water facility, and a spacious playground with a gorgeous stage to exhibit the talents of the children, overall upgrading the infrastructure to international standards. Every year during the school summer vacation, camps are organized for the school children. Additionally, a beautiful and well-constructed boundary wall around the church has been successfully completed.
Entrusted with the great responsibility of building the Church of God at Manipal and within the diocese, he has proven himself to be a selfless, dedicated, and committed shepherd who cares deeply for both the spiritual and temporal needs of his flock, without neglecting either.
The blessings and inauguration will be followed by Eucharistic celebrations and felicitation programme on the occasion. A large number of faithful are expected to attend the celebrations. Fr Romeo Lewis, parish priest; Alwyn Saldanha, vice president; Dr Sabitha Mendonca, secretary; Lawrence D’Almeida, co ordinator; convener Dr Vijay Fernandes; co conveners Rayna D’Souza and Simple Cutinha have extended a cordial welcome to all the faithful’s.