Media Release

Mangaluru, May 29: The Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Peter Paul Saldanha, has appointed Fr Ivan Michael Rodrigues as the new spiritual director of the Catholic Sabha®, Mangalore Diocese. The appointment will come into effect on June 1, 2026, for a term of three years.

Fr Rodrigues, currently serving at Our Lady of Miracles Church, Milagres, succeeds Fr J B Saldanha, who recently received a transfer from Bejai to Puttur. The Diocese of Mangalore and the Catholic Sabha expressed their profound gratitude to the outgoing director, Fr J B Saldanha, for his dedicated service, visionary guidance, and immense contribution to empowering the lay faithful during his esteemed tenure.

In his new role, Fr Rodrigues will be responsible for providing direction, guidance, and spiritual strength to the office-bearers and members of the Catholic Sabha. His mandate involves assisting the organization in navigating their civic, social, political, and economic responsibilities with clarity and conviction, enabling their service to society to flow from a nurtured gift of faith.

The Catholic Sabha® is an officially recognised association within the Diocese of Mangalore, guided by its core motto: Service, Sacrifice, and Unity. The organisation plays a pivotal role in promoting human rights, social justice, political awareness, and communal harmony across the city and the nation. Under the new spiritual direction of Fr Rodrigues, the association aims to continue growing as a model of authentic lay leadership with a synodal spirit of communion and participation.