Udupi: The new building of the 178-year-old Mount Rosary Church was inaugurated at Kallianpur-Santhekatte here on Tuesday, January 6. Church was inaugurated by Jerry Vincent Dais and Molly Dias vice president of parish pastoral council. Bishop of Jaipur Dr Oswald Lewis opened the main door and blessed.
Mount Rosary is one of the oldest churches in Udupi and Mangaluru dioceses. In 1837, some Christians in Santhekatte felt the need to erect a new church and a new church with a thatched roof was erected with the permission of the Bishop a few yards away from the Milagres Church in Kallianpur.
Gradually, in 1879-80 a church with a tiled roof was constructed on the Nejar hill. From 1990 onwards, with development of Santhekatte, several families began residing here. The old church, which was built for a few families, was insufficient to accommodate the growing number of the faithful.
The church building, which was 130 years old, was almost in a dilapidated condition. Hence, the parishioners felt the need to construct a new church building.
Rt. Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi Catholic Diocese, also blessed the new church and dedicate it to the service of the faithful. Rt. Rev. Dr. Aloysius P. D’souza, Bishop of Mangaluru Catholic Diocese, to offer the first eucharistic service in the new church.
Phillip Neri Aranha, parish priest, said that that the new building could accommodate 1,200 people. Artistes and architects from Korathi in Kerala have worked on the altart.The church has an Adoration Chapel which is air-conditioned, he informed.
The wooden cross on the High Altar, the tinted glass windows which depict vivid incidents from the Bible, the Way of the Cross in Mosaic style, the statues of Saints, the statue of our Lady of Mount Rosary are the primary attraction of the church.The huge single fan imported from Canada with its cool breeze is sufficient to make the entire congregation in the church comfortable.
In addition, the new church has a presbytery by its side, for the residence of priests, belfry, two attractive welcome arches one from Kallianpur Road and the other from Kemmannu Road.
Oscar Fernades Rajyasabha MP, Pramod Madhwaraj MLA, Former MLA U R Sabhapathi and Jamia Mosque Udupi president Budan Bhasha, and Former MLA Ragupathi Bhat were present.
Former parish priests, assistant parish priest, vice presidents, secretaries, Donors were honoured on the occasion. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo released the Souvenir. Dn Royson Fernandes read out the papal blessings.
