Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (GA) - pics - RK Durga Digitals

Udupi, Jan 31: The parishioners of Our Lady of Health Church celebrated their annual feast (vhodlem fest) on Wednesday January 31.

The grand festal mass was offered at 10.30 am on Wednesday.  Many priests from Shirva deanery and surrounding parishes concelebrated the Eucharist. 

The vespers were held on Tuesday January 30 evening at 7.  Special fire cracker show too was held after the para-liturgical celebration of adoration.

History of Shirva Church:

During the Padraodo Propaganda controversy, the Catholics loyal to Vatican built a small chapel in about the year 1856 dedicating it to St Francis Xavier.  The original church dedicated to Our Lady of Health which was built in about 1750, remained under the jurisdiction of Goa and the church of St Francis Xavier under the Verapoly jurisdiction. 

On September 15, 1910 both the parish priests Fr Gregory D’Souza of the original church and Fr Casmir Mathias of St Xavier’s church met together and amalgamated the two parishes.  Both the churches were dismantled and the foundation stone for a new church was laid on November 9, 1911.  The present new church was blessed by Bishop Paul Perini on February 9, 1915.  Fr Gregory D’Souza was the first parish priest of the new church.  It was then that the church of Pangala was built.  Fr Reginald Pinto constructed the new altar, pulpit and bought a bell.

The fifth parish priest of untied Shirva parish was Fr Hilary Gonsalves.  He became the youngest parish priest serving the largest parish in the diocese.  He was Vicar of Shirva from 31-5-1934 to 3-12-1971 for a period of 38 years and this remains as a record in the history of Mangalore Diocese.   He constructed churches at Mudarangady, Pernal, Pamboor, Kalathur and Yermal.  Kenha was carved out of Shirva in 1942, Permal in 1955, Pamboor in 1968, Kalathur in 1971.