Originally, the region that is presently included in Sacred Heart Of Jesus Church, Ajekar was a part of the extensive St. Lawrence Parish, Attur-Karkala. The people of this region had difficulties fulfilling their religious obligation due to long distance.
Fr. Salvadore D’Souza, Parish Priest of Attur (1922 - 1948), realising the difficulties of people living in distant regions built chapels to conduct religious services. These included chapels at Naravi (1927), Nellikar (1936), Miyar, Ajekar and Karkala-Town (1940). The chapel at Ajekar was canonically erected into an independent parish by Bishop Victor Fernandes on 8th December 1940.
Inauguration of the Newly Built Ajekar Church :
The newly built Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus was inaugurated and blessed on April 19, 2010 by Rt Dr. Aloysius Paul D Souza ,Bishop of Mangalore diocese. During the inaugural Eucharistic celebration Rt. Dr. Bishop blessed the Main door, Tabernacle, Reading stand (ambo), Altar, Cross and Bible stand as a special ritual.
Whole ceremony was organized by parishioners with the guidance of the parish priest. Fr Valerian Fernandez and Asst. Parish Priest Fr Kiran Pinto.
In the stage programme Bishop Aloysius felicitated the present and all former parish priests who served in Ajekar Church. The Church Souvenir was released by Fr John Barboza, Vicar Forane, Karkala deanery.
Fr Leo Veigas, Vicar general, Gulbarga diocese; Fr Vincent Monteiro, director diocesan pastoral institute; Fr Ronald Dsouza, YCS /YSM Diocesan Director; Gopal Bhandary, MLA, Karkala constituency and others were present on this occasion.
Thousands of devotees witnessed the ceremony and shared the fellowship meal towards the end.
Platinum Jubilee celebration :
The platinum jubilee celebrations of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Ajekar were celebrated with great joy at the Church premises on December 29, 2015.
Parish Priests who have served in the Parish :
- Fr Marcel G Menezes (01.01.1941 to 25.05.1941)
- Fr Santhan Fernandes (26.05.1941 to 27.10.1959)
- Fr Ligoury Dsouza (28.10.1959 to 07.05.1972)
- Fr Oswald Lasrado (08.05.1972 to 13.05.1977)
- Fr Alexander Aranha (14.05.1977 to 05.05.1983)
- Fr Albert G Menezes (06.05.1983 to 17.05.1985)
- Fr Leo Veigues (18.05.1985 to 20.05.1988)
- Fr Felix John Noronha (21.05.1988 to 23.05.1995)
- Fr Francis Louis D'Sa (24.05.1995 to 28.05.2002)
- Fr Valerian Fernandes (29.05.2002 to 2010)
- Fr Kiran Maxim Pinto (2010 to ...)
- Fr Lawrence Martis (2013 - 2015)
- Fr Sunil D'Silva (2015 - 2021)
- Fr Praveen Amrith Martis (from 2021 onwards)
(Complete list will be updated soon)
Compiled by Catholic Time Staff.
Last updated in Dec 2021.
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