Arva was a part of Belthangady parish, but as a missionary station it was under Fr Corti of Naravi parish. In 1905, Fr Faustine Corti SJ came to Naravi and brought the Christians together. His assistant, Fr Angelo Gaviraghi SJ, used to offer Mass at Arva in a shed which was also his home. He baptised about 3,500 people and started a school here. He constructed the church the work of which was overseen by James D’Silva, a catechist and it was completed in 1926. Bishop Perini erected Arva into a parish on March 1, 1927 and Fr Leo Carvalho was appointed to be its first missionary parish priest on January 29, 1927. The church portico was built during the time of Fr Raphael Albert D’Silva (1951-1959). The new church was constructed by Fr Valerian D’Souza and it was inaugurated on February 27, 1992.
In 1961, Fr Victor Saldanha constructed a few shops and rented them. The extension work of Nalkoor School building and construction of belfry was completed by Fr Thomas D’Souza in 1966. A milk producers’ society, Jai Kisan Youngsters Sangha, Gnyana Marga Hall, Co-operative Stores, Mahila Mandal and a gate enclosure to the church property were undertaken by Fr Benjamine D’Souza (1970–1980). The new presbytery and the church shopping complex were built by Fr Joseph Lobo.
In 1942 Fr Alphonso D’Cunha started the Infant Mary’s Elementary School at Nalkoor.
Parish Priests who have served the parish :
- Fr Leo Carvalho (1927 - first parish priest)
- Fr Raphael Albert D’Silva (1951-1959)
- Fr Benjamine D’Souza (1970–1980)
- Fr Mathias Perreira (1979 - 1985)
- Fr Valerian M. D'Souza (1985 - 1993)
- Fr Joseph Lobo (1993 - 2000)
- Fr Pascal Menezes (2000 - 2001)
- Fr Benjamin Pinto (2001 - 2008)
- Fr. Abel Lobo (2011 - 2018)
- Fr Naveen Pinto (2018 - 2021)
- Fr Elias D’Souza (from 2021 onwards)
(Complete list will be updated soon)
Compiled by Catholic Time Staff with inputs from dioceseofmangalore.com
Last updated on Dec 2021.
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