Dec 6, 2009
Milagres Church, the pride of Mangalore Diocese, is on the verge of completing 100 glorious years after its re-construction in the year 1911.
The parish is under the dynamic leadership of the popular Fr Walter D’Mello and has planned several events throughout 2010-2011 to celebrate the centenary with the theme, ‘Come, let us build families’.
The official beginning of the celebration will be blessed by Dr Aloysius P D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, on Sunday January 10 at 9.15 am with a Holy Mass.
This will be followed by blood donation by 100 people to mark the beginning of the year-long celebration.
As part of the celebration, on January 24, 2010, the Mangalore Diocese-level inter-parish sports day will be organized at Mangala Stadium in the city.
At 8.30 am, Frank Fernandes of Mosaco Shipping, Dubai, will be the chief guest and will declare the event open.
The concluding ceremony will be held at 4.30 pm with Bishop D’Souza as the chief guest.
The centenary committee comprising Marcel Monteiro, Ronald Pinto, Dionysius D’Sa, Alwyn Rosario, Gerald Pinto, and parish priest Fr D’Mello have assured that the event will be a spectacular one.
Other programmes for the centenary year will be announced in the coming days.
Fr D’Mello has asked all ‘Milagreans’ of Mangalore, wherever they are, to get in touch through e-mail and confer with him when in the city.
Email: milagreschurch100@gmail.com
History of Milagres Church, Mangalore
The church of our Lady of Miracles, better known as Milagres Church, was built by Bishop Thomas de Crasto, a Theatine Priest of Salsette, in 1680. It is thus 300 years old in 1980.
In the seventeenth century Christianity was in a sorry state on account of a dearth of priests and the rival claims of the territory by the Sees of Verapoly and Goa. In fact, the See of the Archbishop of Goa was vacant for over twenty two years. Msgr. Antony Brandao was appointed Archbishop later. The Holy See seeing this state of affairs appointed Bishop Thomas de Castro Vicar Apostolic of Canara and Malabar. He took up his residence at Calicut but later moved to Mangalore where he abode at Milagres near the site of the present Church. He obtained this site from Queen Chennamal and Bednore Kings as "Inam". He built the first Church at the site of the present Cemetery in 1680. He died on 16th July 1684 and lies buried at the south - eastern corner of the cemetery. His grave with the bronze slab can still be identified.
Some time later, Queen Chennamal and King Basappa resumed the land. In about 1715 a Mangalorean, Fr. Pinto, secured the land again from King Somashekar II (1714-1739). His nephew Fr. A.Pinto, who succeeded him, built a new church on the site of the present one, in 1756. After his death his brother Xavier's wife, Maryanne Monteiro, took possession of the land.
In 1763 Kanara fell under the suzerainty of Hyder Ali and in 1782, his son, Tippu Sultan. He suspected the loyalty of the Christians on Ash Wednesday, 24th February 1784 about 1,80,000 Catholics were seized by the soldiers and herded to his capital, Seringapatnam. They also destroyed 27 of their Churches including Milagres Church. Some of the stones of this Church were utilized by Tippu to erect the Idgah on Lighthouse Hill. The Idgah still exists.
Amongst those who returned to Mangalore from Seringapatam after the death of Tippu was Lawrence Bello, a Baker to the Europeans who built a chapel to replace the church demolished by Tippu, on the site of the present Church at a cost of about Rs. 400/-. Father Mendez, the Vicar, secured the necessary furniture, etc.raised funds and got a contribution of Rs. 600/- from the Government wtih the help of Salvadore Pinto (brother -n-law of Maryanne Monteiro and former Munshi under Tippu) and laid the foundation for a new spacious Church in 1811. Amongst the more distinguished families who contributed towards the building were the two Coelho families, the Gonsalveses, the Mascarenhas and Vazes. Sir Thomas Munro, Governor of Madras on a petition from the Christians of Kanara exempted the land of the church fromm assessment.
As stated , Fr. Mendes biult a new Church in 1811. Exactly 100 years later in 1911, the facade of this Church collapsed. Fr. (later Mgsr.) Frank Pereira was the Parish Priest at the time. The same year he erected the present magnificient Church with Fr. Diamanti S.J. (of Jeppoo Seminary fame) as architect. This is a present Church except for the portico, which was put up later.
The Church is probably one of the most artistic houses of prayer in the District. It measures 49.5 by 27.5 meters with potico 17.5 by 7 meters. Mounted on pedestals are six statues of apostles and hte facade with the statues reminds one of St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. The main alter with the life - like statue of Our Lady contains the superscription "Altare Privilegiatum". It is a magnificent Monolithic marble altar, the gift of late Mr. Nicholas Britto, the illustrious Tahsildar considered the best of their kind in the south and smaller bells, which has since been given to a Church in the mofussil. The Souvenir (1973) of the Holy Cross Church Kulshekar, however suggests that the Altar and the statues were imported from France by Abbe Dubious (Farad Sahib) to be installed in that Church which he had started to build but later was left unfinished as being too florid for a village and that hence the altar and statues were transferred to Milagres.
The Church contains the miraculous shrine of St. Antony of Padua, the great Wonder Worker. It was founded by Fr. (late Msgr.) M.P.Colaco in 1898. The Altar was conferred the privileged status on 22-1-1902 by Pope Leo XIII. The shrine has attained all-India fame and attracts on enormous congregation every Tuesday at the weekly devotions and the two feasts of the Saint on 4 February and 13 June and the Tridumms preceding them. It is known for its record of votive offerings as also for its model Charity Institutes sprawling over an area of 50 acres in Jeppu and catering to the needs of all kinds of humanity, suffering or otherwise, children, youth, the halt, the infirm and sick, numbering in all about 500.
Attached to the Church is the Chapel of St. Monica, the Patroness of the Catholic Mothers Sodality, the first of its kind in the Diocese when it was started in 1887 by Fr. Torri . S.J. He built the Chapel probably the same year. It contains magnificent alter with a French painting of St. Monica and her son St. Augustine which is a rare piece of art.
Thanks to its central location in the heart of Mangalore the Parish clams some of the leading Catholic Institutions in the District. To name a few we have the Bishop's House, St. Aloysius College, the Great Carmel, M.C.C. Bank Ltd, the Catholic Club, the Catholic Educational Co-operative Society, Catholic Association of the South Kanara, the Konkani Natak Sabha with its Don Bosco Hall the venue of periodical dramatic entertainments , meetings and weddings.
Sodalities, Confraternities, etc: The Parish contains an unique institution namely the Confraternity of our Lady of Seven Dolours, there are other sodalities like "Christian Mothers" , "Franciscan III Order", Altar Boys, etc.
Convents, Colleges and Schools
Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration: They stay a few yards away from the Church on the other side of the Falnir Road, known as Adoration Monastery. This house located at the Heart of the city, is a powerhouse
of prayer for Mangalore.
St. Aloysius College: The premier College in the District. Started in 1880 at the instance of Kanara Catholic, it has just completed it centenary. It has a strength of over 6000 including the primary and evening college sections.
The Franciscan Servants of Mary, Nazareth Convent, Balmatta: Started in 1947. It runs a kindergarten and Home Science School and a Hostel for working girls.
The Marjil Convent: St.Mary's High School, Falnir. This is run by the sisters of the Apostolic Carmel. It was started in about 1928 and occupies the bungalow, 'Marjil House' the benefaction of the late M.S.Mascarenhas a former Collector of Chinglepet. The school has also a boarding house.
Missionary Sisters of Charity: Their convent is Mother Theresa's Home for the dying destitute situated at the 2nd cross of Vas Lane at Falnir. They came to this place in 1997. Since then so many dying destitute have experienced the caring and loving touch of Jesus through them.
Milagres Pre-University College: Its origin goes back to 1849 with its humble beginning as an English School, then as High School (1944) and later as the P.U.College (1982). At present it is one of the largest educational institutions in the district with a strength of 2,600.
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