History Of Goa - First Europeans

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The Origin:



The church of Nossa senhora de Milagres now popularly called the Milagres Church, Kallianpur was built about the same time as the church of the same name in Mangalore. It was founded in the year 1678 after a treaty between the Portuguese and Queen Chennamma relict of Soma Shekara I of Bednore who ruled Kanara from 1671 to 1697. The Portuguese were allowed to build churches and were also granted Inam Lands. The Christians here were emigrants from Goa who came seeking fresh fields and pastures new because of insecurity and economic reasons. Goa suffered from famines in the years 1553, 1570 and 1582 with seasons of great scarcity. In 1570 Goa was besieged by Adil Shah to expel the Portuguese from India. Later, there were the Maratha attacks on Goa in 1683. The inquisition in Goa also sent away some of the Christians adhering to Hindu practices. The Christians were lured by promise of land and subsidy because of their industry and improved knowledge of cultivation.



It was for this community that the Portuguese Hierarchy of Goa planted the Church in 1678 in Kallianpur under the title of Nossa Senhora de Milagres, Kallianpur. Our Lady of Miracles is the Woman of the Revelations of St. John, And a great portent appeared in heaven, a Woman clothed with the sun with the moon under Her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. This great portent appeared for kallianpurians with the enthronement of Our Lady of Miracles in the church at Kallianpur. On the great artistic Portuguese Altar of the former church from where she reigned, she was greeted with the words, Tota Pulchra es, O Maria : Et Macula Originalis Non est in te, by two cherubims carrying an artistic ribbon as if waving in the air. From this throne her domain extended over all the region covered by the basins of three rivers; the Sita nadi, the Suvarna nadi and Udyavar river. It comprised all the land in the West till the Arabian Sea; in the North West and North extending six miles to Sasthan, Barkur and beyond; in the North East to Petre, Giri and Perampally; in the South to Udyavar, Udupi and Malpe including Thottam and the Mount Rosary Church. The History of the Milagres Church, Kallianpur is the history of the present Varado of Kallianpur and even beyond, for until recent times, Milagres, Kallianpur headed the Northern Varado of the former two Varados of the Diocese of Mangalore. The Northern Varado then included the present Varados of Kundapur, Kallianpur, Shirva and Karkala.



Christianity prospered and gained security and respect for a century in Kallianpur as in the rest of Kanara. There was Chapel in Barkur served from Kallianpur until it was constituted into a Parish in 1863. There was also a church dedicated to St. Peter with a sizable Catholic Community at Petre Pally. There were candidates for priesthood studying in Goa. In 1769 one Joachim Jose Luis, son of Philip Luis and Rosa Furtado of the Baikady village of the Parish was ordained priest by Archbishop Nieva Brum on 23rd September after studies in Rachol Seminary. He later served on Kanara and at Bajpe. Then all of a sudden persecution came. Tippu Sultan of Mysore, with whom the English were having wars suspected that the Christians were attached to them and were helping the Christian English. When on 30th January 1784 the English lost the war with him at Bednore and surrendered to Tippus forces, he gave secret orders to his commanders to seize all Christians in Kanara and take them captive to Seringapatnam. It was a lightening strike when in the fateful night of Ash Wednesday on the 24th of February 1784, Tippus soldiers carried out the secret orders and entered every Christian settlement simultaneously throughout Kanara. Complete families with children in arms were brutally herded and marched captive cross the Western Ghats. Only a few people escaped or managed to stay. The Christians from these parts were first camped in Nagara and later taken to Seringapatnam. The church here was destroyed and also the churches at Barkur and Petre. All along the way and in the transit prison camps, many died of malnutrition, fatigue, ill-treatment and disease. Some escaped into jungles along the route and from thence to Goa during the long hauls. When at Seringapatnam prison, small pox raged and supervision was lax, some escaped to Malabar. The prisoners at Srirangapatnam were forced to accept Islam and circumcised. There were many who resisted and died.



Christianity blossomed!



With the defeat of Tippu in 1799, the survivors and the escapies to Goa and Malabar trekked back gradually. They found that their lands which were better cultivated than others were confiscated and sold away for high prices and had changed many hands. They had to start afresh from scratch.



The church in Kallianpur was rebuilt in 1806 by the contributions of the people, by Fr. Joachim Jose Britto of Cortalim, Goa and completed in 1808. Very soon the Catholic Community had pulled up from its trails and was emerging into better times though they had lost everything and the English Government could hardly help to recover their lost lands. The Parochial House was rebuilt in 1875 by the last Goan Vicar Rev. Fr. David Pereira. The parish school existing at that time was demolished and classes conducted elsewhere.



In 1839, Pope Gregory XVI issued the Bill, Multa Praeclare. By this document the spiritual jurisdiction of the Arch-Diocese of Goa over Kanara was transferred to the Propaganda Mission of the Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly. At that time the jurisdiction of the Padroado of Goa along with its Goan vicar. There was also a small section of disgruntled parishioners who had developed connections with the verapoly mission who chose to be under the latter jurisdiction. This group of parishioners built a separate church namely the Rosary Church. This church was then shifted and rebuilt about half a mile away on the nejar hill in 1882 and was called as Mt Rosary Church. The udupi parish was formed later from this and udyavar parish in 1890.



Then came a calamity for Milagres; a lamentable period of darkness. In 1885 Pope Leo X111 established the hierarchy of India by his apostolic letter Human Salutis Auctor. The double jurisdiction of the paroado and the Propaganda Mission came to an end in South Canara in 1886 between the Holy See and Portugal by which eleven parishes in South Canara were ceded to Mangalore jurisdiction. The order was published by the Vicar Apostolic of Mangalore who had now become the Bishop of Mangalore.



How did SCHISM begin.?



The Portuguese power in India declined and they were trying to preserve their influence: consequently a great majority of the parishioners of Milagres because of their long association with the ministry of the Goan priests who gave them guidance over the centuries again preferred to be under the Padroado hoping that they would be accommodated as previously. But when the Goan priests suddenly withdrew and left for Goa in compliance with the order they were left without right leadership and guidance. They appealed the Holy See to be under the Padroado. There was dispute over the temporalities of the church, to preserve the status quo, when the priests of the propaganda mission arrived. Following this, the dissidents built a church of their own dedicated to our Lady of Milagres at Bramhavar. Sometime afterwards, they associated with the Jacobite Bishop Mar Julius11 of Goa, India and Ceylon, who was formerly a catholic priest by name Fr. Antony Alvares. He was earlier banned for defying the ecclesiastical authorities in Goa. With this, The SCHISM became a fact.



Milagres under the Propaganda Mission!



The first Vicar of Milagres was Very Rev. Fr. Albert Dsouza in 1887. He was popular as a great preacher and was liked by all. After the first period of heat, recriminations and confusion of the feud subsided, on second thoughts a great number of discerning and enlightened dissidents from all over came back to the Mother church.



During the Vicarship of Very Rev. Fr. Aloysius Fernandes that followed in 1901, a chapel was built by a certain Mr. Minguel Vaz in Thottam, in 1904-1910 endowed with property. It was served from this church for many years. It catered to the Catholics of that neighborhood. The Thottam parish was formed when Msgr. D. Jerome Dsouza of this parish built the present church in 1938.



Rev. Fr. Sebastian Noronha who was at First Asst Parish Priest became its Vicar in 1906. He did pioneering work to bring back the Syrian Christians. He sent Four Laymen of the Parish to the seminary in Mangalore to be trained as Catechists. They were M/s. Ignatius p. Lewis, Xavier Lewis (Uppoor), Lores Lewis (Bharikudru), and Simon Dsouza (Tonse). They were also trained in liturgy and church music in the Bishops Choir at Codialbail





Milagres grew grew and grew!!



The urgent and priority work of Fr. Albert Dsouza who had a long innings was to win back the lost sheep which he ably did with patience and perseverance. There were no organized schools at that time. People generally learnt the three Rs in the Hindu temples, where very few Christians went to study. Fr. Dsouza started the first recognized Elementary school, the St. Josephs Elementary school in the parish. It was housed in the side wings (balconies) of the church. It was, therefore in those days called the Bolkanve Iskol.



The Milagres secondary school was raised to a high school by Very Rev Fr. Julian Dsouza who came as Vicar in 1929. The fourth form was started in 1931 an in 1934 the first batch of matriculates passed out.



In 1934, very Rev Fr. Dennis Jerome Dsouza acquired the L.V.P School, Puttur village and gave it a new shape.



In 1940 Fr. Denis Joseph Dsouza built the present magnificent church in Kallianpur and completed it in 2years. Very Rev Fr. Denis Dsouza who followed him as Vicar in 1942 brought the congregation of the Ursuline sisters of St Fransis and their convent St. rose convent was established. Then St. Joseph Primary School was given over to them for managing. He also built the present artistic high altar and pulpit of the church.



Milagres Kallianpur was fortunate to have Very Rev Fr. Denis Jerome Dsouza as Vicar for a second term in 1954. Very soon he started completing the works he had earlier commenced. He built the church portico. He put up a separate building for girls in high school and a separate play field. He brought the Apostolic Carmel congregation to establish their convent Lourdes Convent to promote education for girls. He also commenced the first buildings of Goretti hospital under the auspices of the diocese. In 1965 the high School was raised to higher secondary school with the addition of the 11th standard.



The need for a college in Kallianpur was felt since 1934 when the Milagres High School Kallianpur presented its first batch of matriculates. Though the progress and performance of the high School was par excellence and its popularity and prestige rose to great heights under the Headmastership of Fr. A.J. Tellis as years rolled, the aspirations of the people remained unrealized for insuperable reasons for 34 years! In 1967 Msgr. Denis Jerome Dsouza at the age of 83 years got sanction for a college and undertook the building of the Milagres College of Arts and Commerce and commenced the Pre-University classes. Higher University classes came up year by year, preparing the students for the Final B.A and B.Com Degree examinations. The first batch of graduates passed out in 1971. A rectangle block of 262 feet in length with ground floor and two storeys with a floor space of 29,000sq.ft was planned. The ground floor of 8646 sq.ft came into being for use in 1969. Though originally the Science faculty was also intended to be introduced it however had to be deferred to be taken up by more young Vicars with enterprise.



The Last 25 years of excellence..!



In the last 25 years Milagres Kallianpur showed great excellence both in educational and spiritual fields. In the year 1985 Rev Fr. William Gonsalves was named as Vicar of Milagres and he built the Milagres English High School in the year 1988. He also introduced the concept of Small Christian Community (SCC) in our parish and the next vicar Fr. Oswald Lasrado continued this new concept of bringing the believers closer to church activities. In the year 1985 Ozanam Home for The Aged was started by the Society of Vincent Paul of Milagres church and presently the principal of Milagres College Fr. Fred Mascarenhas is serving as the Chaplain.



During the time of the next Vicar Fr. Stanley Pereira the Miraculous shrine of Our lady of Miracles was built and till date every Saturday after the morning mass the people of Milagres Gather for the Novena of our Mother Mary.



In the year 1994 Milarchi Laran- the voice of Milagres, a news letter of Milagres was started and Dr. Gerald Pinto Became its Editor with a strong editorial board and is serving for the same till date. Milarchin Laran is published 4 times in a year. In 1994 Pilar fathers started their ministry in Kallianpur



In 1997 Very rev. Fr. Xavier Pinto became the parish priest and revolutionized and popularized liturgy in the parish in a different way. Fr. Xavier took keen interest in bringing children closer to church and gave more responsibilities to them in liturgical services in the church. He formed a strong choir group and led the choir. During his time our church saw a lot of changes. The church flooring was marbled also the road from gate to church was tarred. During this time the SCC blossomed in our parish.



He was then transferred to Basrur parish in Kundapur Varado and Fr. Marcel Saldanha took charge. Fr. Marcel brought lots of changes in the infrastructure of our church and its buildings. He also introduced the Mid Day Meals to all poor children studying in our schools. On 13.05.2005 Adoration chapel was inaugurated by Fr. J.J. Saldanha who served in our parish to assist Fr. Marcel Saldanha for a short span.Fr. J.J Saldanha was later replaced by a young and dynamic priest Fr. Edwin Dsouza. He also built the front gate and renovated the garden. He has also started the project of new building for Kannada medium school as the existing building is very old. The project is estimated to cost around a Crore. This project is still in progress and going well with the whole hearted assistance of parishners, old students and all the well wishers.



The Jubilee celebrations!!



The jubilee celebration was started on 15.11.2005 by Fr. William Gonsalves. After that many programs were planned and conducted as a part of jubilee celebrations.

Programs like training for teachers, Infants day, Couples day, senior citizens day, Widow/Bachelors/Spinsters day, Youth day, SCC day, Sports day etc. And the jubilee was celebrated in a grand way on December 6th 2005. Thanksgiving mass was offered by Rt. Rev. Fr. Aloysius Paul Dsouza(Bishop of Mangalore) with a group of clergies. After the mass a stage programme was organized in which leaders of various communities gathered along with many of the renowned faces and also politicians.

A grand lunch was prepared and served by the parishioners after the program. In the evening artists of Milagres church presented a comedy Drama Winni Konachen and made this jubilee celebration a memorable one.





It is almost impossible to picture the ministry of the zealous pioneering missionaries from Goa who in those early years of poor road communication and other hardships planted the church, preached the Gospel, administered the sacraments and catered even to temporal needs surmounting difficulties of language and customs in a large area round Kallianpur and raised a flourishing Catholic Community that withstood the trials of persecution by dungeon, fire and sword. Their selfless, pioneering and noble labours and those of others not less enterprising and devoted Pastors that followed them, who with the co-operation of the people pioneered the establishment of many parishes of the Varado to meet the Spiritual needs of the people along with many Educational Institutions for their uplift and who gave of their best, have made the Milagres Kallianpur of today. Now Milagrians are spread all over the globe by Her grace and hence this 325 year old Milagres church stands tall and is recognized as one of the oldest and renowned parishes in Mangalore diocese.



Parish council

Vice President: Mr. Leslie Lewis

Secretary: Mr. James Dsouza