Shirva Parishoners Celebrate Centenary of Unity with Religious Spirit
News & Pics: Wilson D'Souza, Shirva
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SB)

Udupi, Sep 26: A thanksgiving mass was offered by Archbishop Leo Carnelio, Bhopal at Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva on Saturday September 25 at 4.00pm. The mass was mainly held to commemorate the centenary of Christian unity in Shirva, that is unity of lower church and upper church that were amalgamated during 1919. It is indeed a matter of great joy for the people of Shirva that the union of two churches, lower church and upper church completes 100 years. 

Main celebrant of the mass was Archbishop Leo Carnelio, Bhopal. Other priests present during the mass were Mnsgr Denis Moras Prabhu, vicar general of Mangalore diocese and Fr Baptist Meneze, episcopal vicar, Udupi among others. Around 21 priests including Fr Stany Tauro, correspondent, St Mary's Church Shirva attended the mass. As many as 2,500 people gathered on the occasion.

About the Unification

It   was on September 15, 1910 that Fr  Gregory D’Souza,  parish priest of the ‘Lower  Church’  (Padroado/Goa) dedicated to Our  Lady  of  Health  and  Fr Casmir Fernandes, parish priest of the ‘Upper Church’ (Propaganda/Verapoly) dedicated to St Francis Xavier, along with the ‘Junta’ decided to merge the two churches in the presence of Fr Sebastian Noronha with Our Lady of Health as the primary patron
and St Francis Xavier as the secondary patron.

Christianity is said to have existed in Shirva in the sixteenth century. However, the establishment of the Shirva church is dated to 1750, as per available records. While the Lower  Church  had been  constructed in 1815 near Mahalasa Narayani Temple by the Christians after the deportation by Tipu Sultan, the Upper  Church had been constructed under the leadership of Fr Joachim Borgis in 1859 at the site of the present  cemetery. The foundation stone for the present new church was laid on September 9, 191 and the church was inaugurated on February 9, 1915 by Fr Paul Perini, Bishop of Mangalore.

The unification of  both  the  churches  has  laid  a strong foundation for the Christian unity, vibrant faith, tranquil peace and dynamic progress of  Shirva. Fr Hilary Gonsalves became an ‘Angel of Peace’ to a troubled Shirva. During his 38 years as the Good Shepherd of Shirva he became the architect of modern
Shirva with his farsighted vision and effective implementation. The subsequent priests and lay leaders  have left no stone unturned  in order  to  build the modern Shirva of the day, a spiritual and educational centre of the district. The Shirvaites today form a forward–looking community with their members spread all over the world, holding high posts in administration, commerce, politics and various spheres of life. Above all, the parishioners of Shirva have kept up their spirit of vibrant Christian faith.

Thanks  to  Our  Lady  of  Health, the missionary spirit of St Francis Xavier has been kept alive in the parish by the loving concern for each other, care of the poor, sick and downtrodden and promotion of faith and prayer which have contributed to the spirit of unity. Prayers that Our Lord’s prayer “Father, may they be one as we are one” (John 17:21) may continue to be realized in this vineyard of the Lord.