Mangalore: Fr J P Tauro who brought about socio-pastoral development dies at 74
Fr Francis Rodrigues, Raknno
Mangalore, Feb 8: Fr Joseph Peter Tauro (mostly known as Fr J P Tauro) who is a priest of the diocese of Mangalore passed away on Friday February 8 at 4.45 am in a private hospital in Mangalore due to congestive cardiac failure (CCF). He was 74 years old and a priest for the last 48 years.
The funeral Mass of Fr J P Tauro would be celebrated at St Vincent Ferrer Church, Valencia at 3.30 pm on Tuesday February 12 and the mortal remains would be interred at priests’ cemetery in Valencia.
He was born at Gurpur (Kaudur) parish on March 3, 1939 to Casmir Tauro and Ignatia Lobo.
After the priestly studies at St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore he was ordained a priest of the diocese of Mangalore on December 2, 1964.
After being the assistant parish priest of Karkala Attur and Valencia parishes for 4 years, he was the Chaplain of Mukka parish for 11 years. Later he was the parish priest of Udupi for 8 years, Pangla for 7 years, Bendur for 8 years and Bejai for 7 years.
Having retired from the active priestly ministry in 2010, he was rendering spiritual services at Little Sisters of the Poor, home for the aged at Bajjodi for a year and with failing health moved to Vianney Home, Kankanady, retired priests’ home in May 2011.
Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the Bishop of the diocese of Mangalore has condoled the death of a committed priest Fr Tauro.
Priest with socio-pastoral integration:
According to Msgr Denis Prabhu the Vicar General of Mangalore diocese, Fr J P Tauro was ascetic in nature and life, lived with minimum requirements, worked as a people oriented priest with a pastoral – developmental approach.
According to Fr John Fernandes, former head and professor of chair in Christianity and a close associate of Fr J P Tauro, Fr Tauro was one of the early priests who was fully involved in the social concern of the Church especially after the Second Vatican Council. He attended a 3 month long social analysis programme in Indian Social Institute (ISI) Bangalore as to attain the social orientation in pastoral ministry. Being inspired by the teachings of Second Vatican Council he focused on the Christian involvement in the socio-political and economic concern of the Church.
The integral development of the society, strengthening the marginalized people, ecological and peaceful sustenance of human life was his focus and aim in life. He almost became a pioneer in the intergrated spiritual pastoral approach. He tried to empower the women, marginalized and Daliths without any difference of cast and creed. The laity should be empowered and given leadership politically, economically and socially by the inspiration of the clergy was his philosophy of life. With this philosophy he established co-operative society of fishermen, diary project, chicken farm and village developmental project in Mukka, and socio economic integration into the spiritual-pastoral work continued in Udupi and Pangla. He has tried to animate people and organize them to demand their social rights. He was a active member of the Catholic priests’ Conference of India (CPCI) to organize events in Mangalore, Karnataka as well as across the nation.
Fr J P Tauro has built number of infra structures in the parishes wherever he served. He has built the Udupi Church. He has built priests’ residences in Mukka, Pangla, Udupi, Bendur and Bejai parishes. He has built multi purpose hall in Mukka. He is known to have worked with systematic pastoral approach. He has taken lead to bring in permissions and facilities, permission to continue High School and establishment of the Pre University Course in the Lourdes Central School of Bejai.