Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 17: Senior priest of the diocese of Mangalore, Fr Victor Machado, passed away on Monday, August 17, at the St Zuze Vaz Home in Jeppu. He was 81.
Hailing from Bantwal, Fr Machado was ordained to the priesthood on October 16, 1969. Over a dedicated pastoral journey spanning more than five decades, he served the diocese in various pivotal capacities, leaving a lasting impact on his parishioners and students alike.
He began his priestly ministry as the assistant parish priest at Cordel from 1970 to 1973. Following this, he took up a teaching assignment at St Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary, Jeppu, where he served from 1973 to 1977. He subsequently traveled to Rome to pursue higher studies between 1977 and 1981.
Upon his return, Fr Machado resumed his role as a professor at St Joseph Seminary from 1981 to 1990. He then took charge as the parish priest of the Cathedral from 1990 to 1997. After another teaching stint at the seminary from 1997 to 2000, he served as the parochial administrator of Jeppu Church from 2000 to 2004.
From 2004 to 2010, Fr Machado led St Joseph Seminary as its rector. He further served as the parish priest at Bejai from 2010 to 2014, and as the director of the Pastoral Institute from 2014 to 2015. He returned to Cordel to serve as parish priest from 2015 to 2021. Since 2021, he had been serving as the chaplain at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Maroli, before spending his final days at St Zuze Vaz Home in Jeppu.
The diocese has expressed its deep gratitude for his vast priestly ministry.
His funeral Mass and burial rites will take place on Tuesday, August 18, at 3:30 pm at St Vincent Ferrer Church in Valencia.