Birth of Taccode Church :
Though it is unbelievable, the history remains true that Holy Cross Church, Taccode, was founded by a few enthusiastic lay people who remained faithful to the Catholic Church in the Propaganda - Padroado misunderstanding in Rome, Portugal and Goa; and due to the hard efforts of those self sacrificing lay people of Taccode who wanted to have their own Church at Taccode. Hence the Holy Cross Church at Taccode was born in 1837.
Geographical boundaries of Taccode :
The geographical boundaries of this parish had spread up to Hospet, Bantwal, Attur and beyond Belthangady to the east; and the next Church to the west was Milagres-Mangalore. The spiritual and the social needs of Catholics at Moodbidri, Alangar, Paladka, Venur, Shirtady, Siddakatte and the surrounding Catholics were also looked after by the Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church, Taccode, when this Church was born in 1837. This Church has the written documents (Baptism register etc.) beginning from 1850 onwards. While going through the history of Holy Cross Church, Taccode, one notices that all the Parish Priests of Taccode have followed the words of Jesus “first seek the Kingdom of God and everything else would follow” (Lk.12:31) has become a reality at Taccode and wherever new Churches were founded, the whole area began to grow in everything.
The far sighted plan and the generosity of Taccode parish under the spiritual guidance of various Parish Priests in those years of 19th and 20th century, Taccode gave birth to three independent parishes: Shirtady (1928), Venur (1937) and Gantalkatte (1988). By establishing three independent Parishes in those areas the then Parish Priests from Taccode, exhibited an exorbitant missionary zeal not only to spread Faith but also the growth of Catholic communities and subsequently growth of the society in general in the field of Faith, education, culture, better standard of living, better job opportunities etc. The simple reason is that when the seeds of Faith were sown, everything began to grow. Unfortunately the names of the Parish Priests who served Taccode from 1837 to 1850 are not available. It may be available at the Archdiocese of Goa or in Portugal. But the remaining list of Parish Priests who served the people of Taccode and surrounding area are as follows:
1. Rev. Fr. J.M.Rebello (1850-1854)
2. Rev. Fr. Manuel Salvadore Vas (1854-1857)
3. Rev. Fr. S.A. Mascarenhas (1857-1858)
4. Rev. Fr. John Coelho (1858-1860)
5. Rev. Fr. P. L. Pachico (1860-1862)
6. Rev. Fr. I.A. Fernandes (1862-1865)
7. Rev. Fr. D.B. Tellis (1865-1867)
8. Rev. Fr. Javos De Cruz (1867-1868)
9. Rev. Fr. I.Baptista (1868-1870)
10. Rev. Fr. Pontiano Theodore Andrade (1870 -1874)
11. Rev. Fr. Javos De Cruz (June - Nov) (1874 - 1874)
12. Rev. Fr. Augustine Rebello (1874-1877)
13. Rev. Fr. Lawrence Fernandes (1877-1878)
14. Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Souza (1878 - 1882)
15. Rev. Fr. Paschal A. Pinto (1882-1883)
16. Rev. Fr. Peter Mascharenhas (1883-1888)
17. Rev. Fr. Alex Pinto (1888-1904)
18. Rev. Fr. Faustine Corti (Oct.1904- Feb.1905)
19. Rev. Fr. M.G. Leons March (1905 - Feb.1906)
20. Rev. Fr. X. Aranha (1906-1908)
21. Rev. Fr. Joseph L Pais (1908-1916)
22. Rev. Fr. Gregory Lobo (1916-1921)
23. Rev. Fr. Cajetan D’Silva (1921-1924)
24. Rev. Fr. A.F. D’Silva (1924-1928)
25. Rev. Fr. A. Piedade D’Souza (1928-1938)
26. Rev. Fr. Leo Carvalho (1938-1941)
27. Rev. Fr. P.V. Gonsalves (1941-1942)
28. Rev. Fr. Andrew Pinto (1942-1948)
29. Rev. Fr. Albert G. Nazareth (1948-1950)
30. Rev. Fr. Fredrick Moniz (1950-1952)
31. Rev. Fr. Alphonso Castelino (1952-53)
32. Rev. Fr. John Baptist Alvares (1953-1957)
33. Rev. Fr. J. L. Fernandes (1957-1959)
34. Rev. Fr. Charles Pais (1959-1962)
35. Rev. Fr. Aloysius Serra (1962-1970)
36. Rev. Fr. Clifford D’Souza (1970-1977)
37. Rev. Fr. Stany B. Lobo (1977-1986)
38. Rev. Fr. Henry Sequeira (1986-1988)
39. Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Souza (1988-1995)
40. Rev. Fr. Jerald D’Souza (1995-2002)
41. Rev. Fr. Hilary Lobo (2002-2009)
42. Rev. Dr. Mark Castelino (2009 - 2016)
43. Rev. Fr. Naveen Prakash D’Souza (2016 - 2022 )
44. Rev. Fr. Rohan Lobo (from 2022 onwards)
As every where, Taccode Church had also begun with a thatched roof of Church in the beginning till 1880. Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Souza, the Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church, Taccode, had constructed the first tiled roof of Holy Cross Church, Taccode in 1880 A.D. The much needed huge trees as wooden beams for the construction of the new tiled roof for Taccode Church were cut at Naravi forest. When the problem of transporting the huge trees to Taccode began to worry the people, the newly cut trees were floated through Naravi river flood and they were captured at Taccode river since the same river was flowing through Taccode. A lot of parishioners rendered their service in capturing the floating wooden logs in the river at Taccode.
St. Joseph Hr. Pry. School, Taccode, was founded around 1880 A.D. and ever since then this school has imparted education to thousands of people for more than 133 years. It is reported that students from Hosabettu were walking up to Taccode to attend the school. In the beginning of the 20th century, Taccode Church was known as ‘Moodbidri Church at Taccode’ (‘Bidryanchi igarz Taccode’) since no churches had existed then at Moodbidri area. Since Shirtady mission station was looked after by Taccode Parish Priest most of the people lived at Shirtady were baptised at Taccode since 1837.
The Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Cajetan D’Silva named the Karinje hill at Taccode as ‘Cross Hill’ (Kursa Gudo) and a huge wooden Cross was erected in 1921. This Cross is seen from all four sides, and as and when this wooden Cross got old then it was replaced. The custom of making the ‘Way of the Cross’ on this ‘Cross Hill’ began in 1970 A.D. In 2002 A.D. this Cross was replaced with 60 feet height concrete Cross and every year on Palm Sunday afternoon at 4.00 p.m., ‘Way of the Cross’ is conducted under the guidance of the Parish Priest and for the past six years this ‘Way of the Cross’ devotion is being telecasted in some of the TV channels in Mangalore.
Birth of Shirtady Church:
Shirtady mission station was served from Taccode from 1837 to 1938. When Naravi Mission began to work independently in 1905, Shirtady was served from Naravi and from Taccode also. Finally Shirtady was made an independent parish in 1928. Even after Shirtady was made an independent parish, no resident Parish Priest was appointed till 1938. Hence again the Parish Priests from Taccode had rendered their service to Shirtady till 1938.
Birth of Venur Church:
Since the people from Venur were finding it very difficult to practice Christian life and to fulfil their spiritual obligation due to far distance from Taccode, they were also requesting for an independent Parish from Taccode. The Parish Priest Rev. Fr. A. Piedade D’Souza began to focus on working on this project of making Venur an independent Parish. He began to travel to Venur with the help of bullock cart along with the Taccode leaders for the construction of Venur Church. He toiled for eleven years to make Venur an independent parish and it was opened in 1937. Since Venur parish was economically backward area, even after the inauguration of Venur parish, Rev. Fr. A. Piedade D’Souza supported Venur parish by donating Congrua to Venur Parish Priest.
Taccode - Mother of three daughters:
The far sighted plan and the generosity of Taccode parish under the spiritual and social guidance of various Parish Priests in those years of 19th and 20th century, Taccode gave birth to three independent parishes: Shirtady (1928), Venur (1937) and Gantalkatte (1988). By establishing three independent Parishes in those areas the then Parish Priests from Taccode had shown far sighted vision of social development through the spread of Faith. As a result the society in those various areas began to grow spiritually and also in the field of education, culture, better standard of living due to better job opportunities etc.
As the Taccode Church building was getting old, the succeeding Parish Priests began to make new plans to construct a new Church at Taccode. When Rev. Fr. Aloysius Serra was the Parish Priest at Taccode, the foundation stone for the new Church building was laid on 14 Sept.1964. The people were requested to donate generously for the construction of a new Church building. Finally after toiling for five years, the new Church building was inaugurated on 06 May 1969.
On 09 Aug.1970 parish council ('salaha mandali') came into existence at Taccode. At this time a new sound system to the Church was installed. Mr. Basil Mendes and Mr. Philip Lobo donated the belfry to Taccode Church and it was inaugurated on 11 May 1975. The electricity supply came to Taccode Church and to the school on 18 October 1978 and water pump-set, fans and lights to the Church were also installed.
Birth of Gantalkatte Church:
The foundation stone for the construction of a new Church at Gantalkatte under the leadership of Parish Priest of Taccode Church Rev. Fr. Stany Lobo took place on 25 November 1980 at Gantalkatte and this foundation stone was laid by Bishop Basil S. D’Souza. Afterwards on the occasion of the centenary remembrance of the old Church building (1880) of Taccode, a memorial building (consisting of a huge crucifix and the statues of Mary and St. John) was inaugurated by the Bishop at Taccode Kaikamba junction and the people came in procession to the Church to celebrate the centenary celebration of old Church building. The bishop celebrated solemn Mass along with many concelebrants and meals were served to all.
Birth of Adarsh High School: The much needed high school education to Taccode people was worked out by Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Stany B. Lobo and the parishioners of Taccode and ‘Adarsh High School’ was inaugurated at Taccode on 09 June 1981. Due to lack of building structure the classes of VIII Std. were held in the Church portico and sacristy of Taccode Church. A new building to ‘Adarsh High School’ was later on constructed under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Stany B. Lobo and it was inaugurated on 14.05.1983. After three years of hard work under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Stany B. Lobo, Gantalkatte Church was inaugurated on 02 May 1983. But it became an independent parish only after five years in 1988. In these five years time, the Parish Priests from Taccode continued to take care of Gantalkatte Church and the parishioners.
On 19.05.2002 fourteen stations of the Cross were erected by Mr. Stephen Mendes on the way to ‘Cross Hill’ ('kursa gudo') and a 60 feet height concrete cross was also erected by him on the hill. Mr. J.B. Dias and Mrs Hilda Dias constructed a cultural stage to the Church and school purpose and it was inaugurated on 24.12.2004. Mr. Brian Rego from Rambail constructed a beautiful Marian Grotto at the main entrance of the Church compound on behalf of his parents and it was inaugurated on 08.09.2005.
Mr.Gregory Mendes & Family constructed a ‘dwara’ at the main entrance of Taccode Church compound on 30.12.2004. The family of Mr. Basil Mendes and the family of Mr. Cyril Cardoza constructed a ‘dwara’ on 12.11.2006 at Taccode kaikamba junction on 12.11.2006. On 17.11.2006 Adarsh High School celebrated its silver jubilee.
International ‘Year of Priests’ at Taccode: On the occasion of the 150th death anniversary of St. John Marie Vianney the ‘Patron of Priests’, the year 2010 was declared as the ‘Year of Priests’ by Pope Benedict XVI. It is on this occasion 100 actors from Taccode staged a Konkani Mega Play ‘Kumsaracho Apostle San Juvaavn Marie Vianney’ on three drama stages written and directed by Rev. Dr. Mark Castelino at Taccode on Easter Sunday 04.04.2010. Many elders in the Catholic community say that such a Konknai Mega Play has not been staged in the 175 years of the history of Taccode. The same Konkani Mega Play was again staged on 09.05.2010 at Ajekar Church ground by 100 artists from Taccode.
It is for the first time in 30 years of its existence, Adarsh High School, Taccode, secured 100% result in the SSLC public exam held in April 2011 and the credit goes to the Correspondent Rev. Dr. Mark Castelino for his timely guidance and the self sacrificing dedicated staff led by Headmistress Mrs. Zita Dias. Again, Adarsh High School secured 100% result for the second time in SSLC exam held in April 2012 due to the timely guidance of the Correspondent and the dedicated staff led by the Headmistress.
Post Centenary Platinum Jubilee of Holy Cross Church, Taccode:
The Post Centenary Platinum Jubilee of Holy Cross Church, Taccode began with the solemn Eucharistic celebration on 23.12.2012 at. 04.00 p.m. The Bishop of Mangalore Dr A.P. D’Souza celebrated the Jubilee Mass. There were altogether 17 priests for the jubilee celebration.
Compiled by Catholic Time Staff with inputs from taccodechurch.weebly.com
Last updated in Dec 2022.
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