Media Release

Mangaluru, Jul 27: Going back to June 1, 2013, Fr J B Saldanha took charge as the new parish priest of Permannur parish, and now after serving ten fruitful years at St Joseph's Seminary, Mangaluru, it was time to thank him for his wonderful service rendered in the Permannur Church. Fr J B Saldanha will be taking up his new assignment as the new parish priest of St Francis Xavier Church Bejai.

Having vast experience in his priestly life, Fr J B Saldanha has conquered the hearts of every parishioner, especially of the poor and needy. He has been a role model, moulded every person and had them bloom under his guidance. He had a special relationship with all the religious people.

On July 25, a thanksgiving mass was celebrated at 5.00 pm by Fr J B Saldanha, Assistant Parish Priest Fr Santhosh Dsouza, Fr Edwin Mascarenhas, Fr Valerian Pinto, Fr Rohan Lobo, Fr Stany Pinto, Fr Nilesh Crasta, Fr Steevan Cutinha, Fr Stany Fernandes were the co-celebrants.

A wonderful speech was rendered by Fr Valerian Pinto, Chaplin of Nirmal Convent. He described the wonderful ministry of the parish priest in the last seven years, some of the great programmes undertaken in the last seven years were medical fund, education fund, housing project, St Sebastian hall construction, presbytery renovation, land purchase and many other works were mentioned by him.

As a token of love, Fr Valerian Pinto honoured him with a shawl and garland, PPC president Maurice Monteiro gave away the gift, a citation was presented by Philomena Dsouza.

Assistant parish priest Fr Santhosh Dsouza compered the programme; in his speech, he thanked Fr J B Saldanha for the service rendered in Permannur parish. He described his valuable works in the last seven years, he compared him to St Paul, for the same zeal and interests in the parish mission, his loves for his fold, always ready for the service of the people throughout the day, and his dream to develop the parish during his tenure were the number of developmental works that took place.

The people anxiously waited to hear Fr J B Saldanha speak during the occasion. He remembered important events that had taken place during his tenure and thanked all those who helped him in various ways for the success of the various projects. He thanked all the assistant parish priests who were there under him, Fr Santhosh Dsouza, Fr Praveen Joy Saldanha, Fr Lizel Joy Dsouza, Fr Rohan Lobo, Fr Stany Pinto, Fr Nilesh Crasta, Fr Stany Fernandes. He was grateful to all the ward gurkar’s, president and members of pious associations, convent sisters, children, youth, families and the elders of the church.