Mangalore Diocese News

The present parish, St Monica Church was erected as St Philomena Church on 14th October 1934 by the then parish priest of Manjeshwar Rev Fr Joseph Menezes. It was started as a small Chapel dedicated to St Philomena which was blessed and inaugurated by Most Rev Dr Victor Fernandes the bishop of Mangalore.

On 9th May 1970 Rev Fr Harold G DSouza took the charge of the Parish priest of Kumbla. The foundation stone was laid to build the new Church on 11th August 1970 by Most Rev Dr Basil D'Souza the bishop of Mangalore which was dedicated to St Monica.

On 13th October 1994 the church celebrated its Diamond Jubilee.

Very Rev Fr Gerald Isaac Lobo the episcopal vicar of southern Varado took charge of the Parish on 1st July 1998.

The extension and renovation of the church was started in October 1999.

On 17th January 2000, the Vatican announced Very Rev Fr Gerald Isaac Lobo the Parish priest of Kumbla as the bishop elect of Shimoga Diocese.

On 19th March 2000 Rev Fr Alfred J Pinto was appointed as a new Parish priest of St Monica Church Kumbla. The inauguration of the renovated church and new presbytery took place on 27th November 2000.

Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza the bishop of Mangalore inaugurated the Grotto and Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo inaugurated the new Church building. Msg. Valerian D'Souza the episcopal Vicar of Udupi inaugurated the new presbytery. Community hall was inaugurated by Msg. Edwin Pinto, the vicar general of the diocese of Mangalore.

On 28th November 2000, the foundation stone was laid to St Monica Institute for Learning and Education (SMILE) by the Most Rev Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, the Bishop of Shimoga.

On 1st June 2003 St Monica English medium school was established for the rural children.

In April 2003 St Monica Institute for Computer Education (SMICE) was started for external students.

On 13th August 2006 as per the request of most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the bishop of Mangalore, the new congregation, sisters of Saint Joseph of Annecy came to teaching ministry at Saint Monica English medium school.

Rev Fr Alban Rodrigues was appointed as a Parish priest of Saint Monica Church on 1st July 2007. The platinum jubilee of the Parish was inaugurated on 9th November 2008. The Parish celebrated the finale of the platinum Jubilee on 28th November 2009.

Rev Fr Marcel Saldanha took charge of the Parish on 14th June 2011. He worked to convert Saint Monica English medium school into a CBSE school. On 6th October 2015 Saint Monica English medium school received Affiliation from CBSE.

Rev Fr Anil Prakash D’Silva took charge of the Parish on 28th May 2018. He was also appointed as the principal of St Monica CBSE School on 1st June 2018.

On 26th August 2018 the new cross was blessed by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza the bishop of Mangalore.

PARISH PRIESTS WHO HAVE SERVED IN ST MONICA CHURCH, KUMBLA : 

• REV FR JOSEPH MENEZES (14-10-1934 to 26-09-1939)
• REV FR ALBERT NAZARETH (04-10-1939 - )
• REV FR FRANK PERIS
• REV FR LAWRENCE MONTEIRO
• REV FR ALEXANDER CONCESSAO
• REV FR ALOYSIUS F. SILVA
• REV FR GERALD L. R. MIRANDA (28-11-1947 to 09-05-1949)
• REV FR EDWARD SALDANHA (10-05-1949 to 22-09-1954)
• REV FR SALVADORE J. C. VAS (22-09-1954 to 12-05-1956)
• REV FR ALPHONSUS D’CUNHA
• REV FR D. S. PAIS (23-06-1951 to 05-02-1955)
• REV FR MARCEL MENEZES (22-05-1955 to 1956)
• REV FR JOACHIM PEREIRA (05-10-1956 to 27-12-1956)
• REV FR PETER D’SA
• REV FR SALVADORE JC RODRIGUES (28-12-1956 to 22-03-1957)
• REV FR LAWRENCE D’SOUZA ( - to 03-06-1960)
• REV FR CHARLES P. D’SOUZA (01-03-1960 to 09-05-1960)
• REV FR APOLINE MONTEIRO (09-05-1960 to 15-08-1961)
• REV FR MSG. WILLIAM A. LEWIS
• REV FR JOSEPH NORONHA (01-09-1961 to 02-11-1961)
• REV FR FREDRICK PINTO (03-11-1961 to 08-06-1965)
• REV FR ALEXANDER SEQUEIRA (09-06-1965 to 08-05-1970)
• REV FR J. M. MENEZES
• REV FR LIGORY E. PINTO
• REV FR ALPHONSUS MATHAIAS
• REV FR HERALD G. D’SOUZA (09-05-1970 to 08-08-1975)
• REV FR GERALD L. MIRANDA (09-08-0975 to 06-06-1976)
• REV FR GABRRIEL CASTELINO (06-06-1976 to 26-12-1982)
• REV FR ALOYIUS A. SERRA (23-05-1983 to 16-04-1988)
• REV FR J.C MORAS (17-04-1989 to 14-08-1989)
• REV FR ALFRED J. PINTO (15-08-1989 to 09-11-1989)
• REV FR ANDREW RODRIGUES (10-11-1989 to 31-05-1993)
• REV FR LOUIS D’SOUZA (01-06-1993 to 04-07-1998)
• REV FR GERALD ISAAC LOBO (05-07-1998 to 18-03-2000)
• REV FR ALFRED J. PINTO (19-03-2000 to 03-06-2007)
• REV FR ALBAN RODRIGUES (01-07-2007 to 14-06-2011)
• REV FR MARCEL SALDANHA (14-06-2011 to 27-05-2018)
• REV FR ANIL PRAKASH D’SILVA (27.05.2018 onwards )

Compiled by Catholic Time Staff with inputs from kumblachurch.com
Last updated in Dec 2018.

Related links : 

• About St. Monica Church, Kumbla