Fr Baptist Menezes Appointed Vicar General of Udupi Diocese

Media Release

Udupi, Dec 14: In a brief and impressive liturgical ceremony, the Bishop of Udupi Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo on Friday December 14 announced the appointment of Fr Baptist Menezes, the former Episcopal Vicar, as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Udupi.

The service was conducted by the Bishop at Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi in the presence of a small gathering.

Invoking the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Bishop read a passage from the Holy Gospel and gave a short message thereafter. Then he invited Fr Baptist Menezes to make the Profession of Faith and take oath of fidelity and secrecy. Thereafter he handed over the appointment order to Fr Baptist Menezes.

Fr Baptist Menezes is the native of Our Lady of Health Church at Shirva, son of the late Louis Menezes and the late Mary Magdelene Menezes. He was born on July 28, 1948 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Mangalore on October 25, 1974. He has a doctorate in Moral Theology from the Lateran University in Rome. After being an assistant Parish priest at the Most Holy Redeemer Church at Agrar and Assistant Director at St Antony’s Charitable Institutions at Jeppu, Mangalore, he was deputed for higher studies in Moral Theology to Rome in 1977 and on completion of his doctoral studies in 1982, he joined the staff of St Peter’s Pntifical Seminary at Bangalore, which he served till 1994.

Thereafter he was appointed Administrator of St Joseph’s Inter-diocesan Seminary at Jeppu, Mangalore in 1995 and Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions in 1997, the post he held till 2007. He was appointed Episcopal Vicar of the District of Udupi by the Bishop of Mangalore on 6th July 2007, an office he shouldered till Udupi was canonically erected into a new Diocese on 15th October 2012.

Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo had issued a letter to all priests serving in the parishes of the Diocese of Udupi requesting them to propose two names to the office of the Vicar General even though canonically it was his prerogative to appoint a Vicar General of his choice. He appointed Fr Baptist Menezes as the Vicar General since he had obtained highest suggestive votes for the said office from the priests of the Diocese.

Fr John Baptist Sequeira appointed New Episcopal Vicar for Religious, Fr Valerian Mendonca Chancellor of the Diocese of Udupi

Bishop Gerald I Lobo announced the appointment of Fr J B Sequeira, OFM Cap, who is the Superior of Trinity Vihar at Perampally, as the Episcopal Vicar for Religious, and of Fr Valerian Mendonca, parish priest, St Peter Church, Barkur, as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Udupi.

Bishop Gerald I Lobo handed over appoinment orders to Fr J B Sequeira OFM Cap, and Fr Valerian Mendonca respectively after they also made their Profession of Faith and took oath of fidelity and secrecy.

Fr John Baptist Sequeira OFM Cap: A Brief Profile

Fr John Baptist Sequeira OFM Cap hails from Loreto parish (originally Agrar) and was born on 27th July 1949. He was ordained a priest for the Capuchin Order on 11th May 1978. He has a B Sc graduate degree from St Aloysius College, Mangalore, Diploma in Counseling from Toronto, Canada and doctorate in Spiritual Theology from Rome. He has served as Vicar Provincial and Counselor of Karnataka Capuchin Province, Director of Franciscan Spirituality Institute in Bangalore, Novice Master at Farangipet, Mangalore and Rector of Philosophy seminary of Capuchins at Bangalore. At present he is the superior of the Capuchin Friary, Trinity Vihar and Director of Trinity Central School at Perampally.

Music Composer or many Konkany Liturgical humns, has published two CDs of Konkany hymns.

Preacher, and has given conferences to Religious and to Diocesan Priests’ gatherings.

Fr Valerian Mendonca: A Brief Profile

Fr Valerian Mendonca, is the 7th of the 8 children of Gabriel and Seraphine Mendonca, Jalamale, Pilar, Shirva. Sr Rose Agnes,AC, Principal of St Cecily’s PU College, Udupi, is his younger sister.

He had his Primary and High School education (1965) at his native parish, Shirva. He secured the First Rank in English in the Mysore University in BSc (1969) at St Aloysius College, Mangalore. He obtained his B Th (Bachelor in Theology) from Urban University, Rome,(1976) through St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore. He secured his Diploma in Communications with specialization in Radio and Audio-Visual Aids (1979) from Amruthavani Communications Centre, Secunderabad. He had his Master’s Degree in English from Mysore University (1983).

He served as Secretary of Canara Communications Centre, Mangalore, for 1 year (1980). He was the Vice Principal and Principal-in-charge of Milagres PU College, Mangalore (1983-1988). He was Lecturer, Vice Principal and Principal of Milagres College, Kallianpur (1988-2003). He was Principal of Pompei College, Aikala, Kinnigoli, from 2003 to 2007. He served Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education ® and Sandesha College of Fine Arts as the Director and Principal till from 17.3.2008 to 29.5.2012. He also served as the Regional Secretary for Social Communications for KRCBC (Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council) during this period.

His Priestly service includes Assistant Director of St Anthony’s Poor Homes (1 month), Assistant Parish Priest of Holy Family Church, Omzoor (Mermajal) (2 years), Assistant Parish Priest of Milagres Church, Mangalore (4 years), and Milagres Church, Kallianpur (3+10 years), Ecclesiastical Administrator at Tallur, Kundapur (10 months), and Chaplain of Ozanam Home for the Aged, Kallianpur (5 years).

As a poet and lyricist, he has written poetry in English, Konkani and Kannada; as a composer and director of music, in association with Fr Clement Mascarenhas, he has produced 32 audio-albums of devotional songs in Konkani, Kannada and Hindi. As an auditioned artiste of All India Radio, he has presented ‘Vandana’ and ‘Chintana’ programs regularly on AIR. He is scheduled to present a Radio Talk on Christmas in English on December 23 at 9.15 pm on Akashvani, Mangalore. He is a member of the Local Audition Committee of All India Radio, Mangalore. Apart from singing and playing musical instruments like the accordion, keyboard and guitar, and conducting chuch choirs (among them the Diocesan Choirs of Mangalore and Udupi Dioceses), photography has been one of his interests.

As an educationist and administrator, he has served as the Principal of Milagres P U College, Mangalore, Milagres College, Kallianpur, Pompei College, Aikala, and Sandesha College of Fine Arts, Mangalore. He has also served as a member of the Academic Council, Senate and Syndicate of the Mangalore University.

Since June 3, 2012 he has been serving St Peter’s Church, Barkur, as Parish Priest. He took charge as the first Chancellor of the Diocese of Udupi at 12.55 pm on Friday December 14. He will continue to serve the parish of Barkur as the Parish Priest along with his new responsibility of the Chancellor of the Diocese of Udupi.

Honours awarded:

‘Bhakti Sangeetha Sagara’ (Public Of Kinnigoli)
‘Rabindranath Tagore Of Mangalore (Daijiworld.Com)
‘Star Of Kinnigoli’ (Kinnigoli.Com)
‘Jewel Of Shirva’ (Uswas, Shirvites’ Association, UAE)