Udupi Diocese News

Photo : Facebook

Location : 

The Sacred Heart Church, Kolalgiri is situated at a distance of 11 kms from Udupi and about 4.8 kms from Kallianpur. It is surrounded by Brahmavar, Petri and Perampalli Parishes.

History : 

Originally, Kolalgiri was a part of the Milagres Church, Kallianpur. In 1887, the majority of the Catholics of Kolalgiri had joined the schismatic church of Brahmavar. In 1907, Fr Sebastian Noronha, parish priest of the Milagres Church started a school at Kolalgiri and by educating the children he succeeded in getting back their parents, about 61 families, to the Catholic fold.

In 1915, Fr Aloysius J. D’Souza of Kallianpur opened a Mission Centre at Kolalgiri and appointed Fr Sebastian (Sabas) Joachim Fernandes, his assistant, to work at this place. Fr Sebastian Fernandes started St Francis Xavier School in 1915 which became a Higher Primary School in 1923. He also built a school building at Perampalli in 1920. In 1921 Kolalgiri mission was removed from the jurisdiction of Kallianpur and Fr Sebastian Fernandes became its first chaplain. He constructed the Sacred Heart Church building in 1925 and a parochial house in 1930. He converted a large number of schismatic families of Catholic faith. He was transferred to Brahmavar in 1935.

Bishop Victor R. Fernandes declared Kolalgiri as an independent parish on 16 May 1935 with Fr Albert V. D’Souza, who later became the Archbishop of Calcutta, as its first parish priest. Fr Albert V. D’Souza started two elementary schools at Ammunje and Belmar. Fr Harold D’Souza became the parish priest in 1953 and constructed the belfry and the Lourdes Grotto. It was during his tenure as the parish priest of Kolalgiri, on 7 October 1958, Perampalli was delimited from Kolalgiri and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima was built there. Fr Isidore Noronha (1974-1982) provided benches and electrified the church at Kolalgiri. He also added two more classrooms to the existing school building at Ammunje and invited the nuns of the Queen of Apostles who opened their convent here.

Fr. William Menezes took charge as the parish priest of Kolalgiri on 29 May 1996. He started the Small Christian Communities (SCC) in parish wards in 1997. The parish bulletin-‘Kalzachi Kirna’ was published on 3 February 1999. As there was a need for a spacious hall, Fr. William Menezes constructed the Sauharda Community Hall that was inaugurated on 22 May 2000.

Following the transfer of Fr. William Menezes to Fr. Muller’s Hospital, Mangalore on 29 May 2000, Fr. Joseph Lobo took charge as the parish priest of Kolalgiri.

During the tenure of Fr. Joseph Lobo, the Secular Franciscan Order was started on 27 February 2002. A booklet on the life of Late Msgr Sebastian (Sabas) Fernandes was released on 25 May 2002.

On the transfer of Fr. Joseph Lobo to the Bishop’s House, Mangalore, Fr. Jerome Monteiro was appointed as the next parish priest of Kolalgiri on 31 May 2002. Fr. Jerome Monteiro opened the Sacred Heart Play School and LKG English Medium School on 1 June 2005. He got the church building renovated as the Platinum Jubilee Memorial of the first chapel built in Kolalgiri.

The newly renovated Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was inaugurated and blessed by Bishop Aloysius Paul D'Souza of Mangalore on April 16, 2008. Episcopal Vicar of Udupi Fr Baptist Menezes, Kallianpur dean Fr Marcel Saldanha, parish priest Fr Jerome Monteiro and several other priests from Kallianpur and other deaneries concelebrated the Holy Eucharist which was celebrated by Bishop Aloysius Paul D'Souza.

The ICYM Unit of Kolalgiri celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 5 July 2009.

The Grotto constructed at the entrance of the church in honour of St. Antony was inaugurated and blessed on 8 September 2009.

The Platinum Jubilee of the first chapel at Kolalgiri was celebrated on 23 April 2010 in the presence of Bishop Aloysius P. D’Souza of Mangalore. The grand eucharist mass was celebrated by the bishop, while parish priest Jerome Monterio, vicar forane of Kallianpur deanery Fr Marcel Saldhana and the priest of neighboring church were present during the mass. The mass was followed by felicitation and stage programmes.

As Fr. Jerome Monteiro was transferred to Kuntalnagar Parish on 25 May 2010, Fr. Sylvester D’Costa was appointed as the next parish priest of Kolalgiri.

On 23 April 2011, the open air stage built by the ICYM Unit in memory of its Silver Jubilee was inaugurated by Raghupati Bhat, MLA of Udupi.

Fr Edwin D’Souza was appointed as the parish priest of Kolalgiri on 8 June 2011 as Fr Sylvester D’Costa was transferred to Vamadapadavu.

Kolalgiri Parish became a part of the Udupi Diocese on 15 October 2012 with the bifurcation of the then Mangalore Diocese. Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo became the first Bishop of the Udupi Diocese.

On 8 May 2013, Fr. Wilfred Sylvester Frank, OCD was appointed as the parish priest of Kolalgiri. Fr Edwin D’Souza was transferred to Kuntalnagar. The Kolalgiri Parish was placed under the Carmelite Priests for spiritual and pastoral care.

A new sacristy, a counseling room and a guest room were constructed in the church campus. These facilities were inaugurated by Pramod Madhvaraj, Minister for Fisheries, Youth Affairs and Sports on 27 September 2016. Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo blessed the new building. In the same year the Golden Jubilee of St Vincent De Paul Society was celebrated and the Grotto in honour of Our Lady of Velankanni was blessed by Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo.

The Silver Jubilee of the Catholic Sabha, Kolalgiri Unit was celebrated on 2 February 2017. In memory of the event, a bus stand was constructed near Kolalgiri.

Other projects undertaken during the year 2016-2017 included celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of the Sacred Heart High School and starting of the Play School in St. Francis Xavier School.

Fr (Dr) Prakash Anil Castelino was appointed as the Parochial Administrator of Kolalgiri on 14 July 2017 as the Carmelite Priests handed over the mission of Kolalgiri back to the Diocese of Udupi. Fr Wilfred Frank, OCD was transferred to Londa in Belgaum.

A new Grotto dedicated to Mother Mary was inaugurated and blessed by Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo on 14 December 2019. This Grotto was constructed by the youth of the parish in memory of the International Year of the Youth (2019).

St. Francis Xavier School was merged with the Sacred Heart School, Ammunje in May 2020. On 28 October 2020, the Sacred Heart statue at the main tower of the church was installed.

Land Records of the Kolalgiri Parish were set right on 7 January 2021 and the RTC title was allotted to the church as “Sacred Heart Church, Kolalgiri”.

On 1 May 2021, Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino was appointed as the parish priest of the Sacred heart Church, Kolalgiri.

Parish Priests who have served in the Parish :

• Fr. Albert V. D’Souza (1935) (first parish priest)
• Fr. Harold D’Souza (1953)
• Fr. Isidore Noronha (1974-1982)
• Fr Charles Lewis (1982 - 89)
• Fr John Noronha (1989 - 96)
• Fr. William Menezes (1996 - 2000)
• Fr. Joseph Lobo (2000 - 2002)
• Fr. Jerome Monteiro (2002 - 2010)
• Fr. Sylvester D’Costa (2010 - 2011)
• Fr. Edwin D’Souza (2011 - 2013)
• Fr. Wilfred Sylvester Frank, OCD (2013 - 2017)
• Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino (P. Adm. from 2017 - 2021 and P.P. from 2021 - 2023)
• Fr Joseph Machado (from 2023 onwards)

(complete list will be updated soon)

Compiled by Catholic Time Staff with inputs from sacredheartchurchkolalgiri.in
Last updated in Dec 2021.

Related links : 

• About Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Kolalgiri
• History of Our Lady of Miracles Cathedral, Milagres , Kallianpur
• 20-12-2016 - St Xavier School Celebrated Centenary School Day at Kolalgiri
• 23-04-2010 - Sacred Heart Church Kolalgiri Celebrates Platinum Jubilee
• 16-04-2008 : New Sacred Heart Church of Kolalgiri Inaugurated and Blessed