St Francis Xaviers Church Udyavara : History

CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER
Udyavar P.O. - 574 118
Udupi District

TELEPHONE: 52 2052
EMAIL: richard@vasnet.co.in

LOCATION: This church is situated at a distance of 58 kms from Mangalore and 2 kms from Udupi and is surrounded by Katpadi, Kalmady, Moodubelle and Pangla parishes.

PARISH PRIEST: Rev. Fr Richard Coelho
CATHOLIC POPULATION: Total : 2,790 Male : 1,301 Female : 1,489
NO. OF CATHOLIC FAMILIES: 431
NO. OF PARISH WARDS: 14

HISTORY:

Formerly Udyavara was a part of the Kallianpur Milagres church. In 1863 the Archbishop of Goa granted permission to build a church at Udyavara and gave a resident missionary priest. A temporary shed and a lodge for the vicar were built at Chemburkad. Fr John Lewis Marian D’Souza of Bardez, Goa, became the first vicar. As the place was soggy, Fr R.F.C. Mascarenhas bought a plot of land in 1908 and constructed the church building. It was blessed on January 6, 1909 by Bishop A Cavadini sj. The Graeco-Roman style edifice is said to be a marvel in this region. Fr Gregory Lobo, the third parish priest after Fr Mascarenhas organized choir with Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass singers. Fr Denis Coelho renovated the church. Fr Stanley Pereira constructed a chapel at Bolargudde in 1993. Fr Richard Coelho is constructing the new presbytery.

Mr Leo R. Pereira, began a school in 1881 and adminstered it upto 1918. On March 20, 1918 it was haded over to St Xavier’s church. Fr Gegory Lobo constructed a spacious new school building in 1924.

Fr Casimir Fernandes secured the management of Bolje (Belle) St Anne’s Elementary School, Pithrodi Model School and Polipugudde St Anthony Elementary School. Permission to educate non-Catholics in these schools was obtained on June 30, 1950 by Fr Casimir D’Sa. Fr Thomas D’Souza, who became the vicar in 1979, started the High School in 1982 at the completion of 100 years of St Francis Xavier Higher Primary School.

From the Memory Lines......

St. Francis Xavier Church, Udyavara

Traditionally, where ever there live a number of Christian families is a group or otherwise, they feel it is their first duty is to establish a church for the community prayer and a school for their children. Accordingly the Christian families of Udayavara built a modest church near Chembukkall rock sometimes in ad 1873and dedicated the same in the honour of St. Xavier. As the place as soggy, the structure collapsed after some years. The people met together and decided to acquire a new place to build a new church.

The community consisting about 50 poor petty agriculturist families started to work under the leadership of their parish priest Late Fr. R. A. F Macarena's. He was a saintly man, had no money in hand. Legend says when the work started he stood before the statue of St. Xavier with a few coins in hand and prayed the saint to help him in the task, for his honour and for the greater glory of god

While the priest went to collect funds (Biksha) outside the village the men folk remained at site on dedicate work. the womenfolk it is said, used to collect a first full of rice daily, bring the same at the church site, on Sunday, put it for auction for the purpose of raising funds.

After a strenuous period of about 3 years of dedicated scarification human labour, almighty god blessed the community with a new church building. The Greco-Roman style edifice is said to be a marvel in this region. There was no geologist, architectures nor civil engineers with blue print to help the confident masteries in the task. The church was finally blessed and opened sometimes in 1909 by the lordship the then bishop of Mangalore for Christian worship only.

The very sight of their holy church inspires faith and love of god and side by side, the blessed dignity of dedicated human labour charity and hope.