Fr Nicholas Pereira gave a new impetus to the religious activities in the parish. He was very generous towards the poor and gave a lot of aid to them. He also gave lot of financial help to the society of St Vincent de Paul. He completed the work of building the rest of the cemetery compound wall in place of the old mud walls with laterite stones. He replaced the outdated sound system in the church, renovated the parochial house and remodelled the dining room. During this time Mr Joseph Aranha was re-elected as vice – president on February 3rd 1980 and Mr Edmond D’Souza was elected as secretary of the parish council. Fr N.J. Pereira died on October 30th 1980 after serving the parish for seven years. He is buried in the Bendur Parish Cemetery.
Rev. Fr Stanley Pereira took over as the thirteenth parish priest on January 3rd 1981. On February 11th the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes he started the devotion near the grotto by taking out a procession to the grotto and reciting the rosary concluding with the Eucharistic blessing. As there wasn’t enough student strength in St Margaret Mary’s School for girls run by the Bethany Sisters and the St Sebastian School for boys of the church they were merged in 1986. Since then this school is continued as St Sebastian’s Higher Primary School. But since 1987 this school, given to the Bethany sisters is shifted from the church compound to the Bethany premises. In the same year a kindergarten for small children was started in the church compound. Mr Joseph Aranha was re-elected as vice – president on January 1st 1983 and Ms Lizzie Pereira was elected as secretary of the parish council. Fr Stanley Pereira got the church roof repaired, and replaced the old tiles with new ones. During his time the full church was repainted. The parishioners generously contributed towards all these expenses. Fr Pereira was ably assisted by Rev. Fr Roque D’Souza who came on May 9th 1981 in place of Fr Joswey Fernandes who was transferred on April 30th 1981. Rev. Fr Valerian D’Souza came on May 14th 1983 in place of Fr Roque D’Souza who left the parish along with Fr Mark Walder on transfer on May 13th 1983. Rev. Fr Lancy D’Souza came to the parish on May 17th 1986 and Fr Valerian D’Souza left the parish on transfer on May 19th 1986.
Fr Stanley Pereira restarted the evening procession on Palm Sunday. On Good Friday he had the cross erected in front of the church and conducted the ceremony of lowering the body of Christ from the cross with devotion and taking it in procession in a cradle (a replica of the sepulchre of Jesus). During his time he started a special collection during lent and distributed the collected amount among the needy for their house repairs. He printed and published the life history of St Sebestian along with the Novena prayers. As directed by the Bishop in January 1986 smaller wards were created increasing the number of wards from 10 to 21and appointed new Gurkars to all these wards. Mr Simon Walter Colaco was elected as vice – president of the parish council on February 15th 1986 and Ms Lizzie Pereira was re-elected as secretary. Fr Pereira wanted to start a parish bulletin and even brought out some trial issues of the same named as “Voice of Bendur”, as a start to the Parish Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. He also a appointed an editorial board for the publication of this bulletin under his guidance and leadership. He also started preparations for the Platinum Jubilee of the parish but soon afterwards he was transferred to Udayavar on May 24th 1987.
On May 23rd 1987 Rev. Fr Gregory L. DaCruz took over as the fourteenth parish priest. The assistant parish priests who assisted Fr DaCruz were Rev. Fr Roque Victor D’Sa from June 16th 1987 to June 4th 1990. Rev. Fr William Menezes from June 23rd 1987, who took the place of Fr Lancy D’Souza who was transferred on June 22nd 1987, worked till June 5th 1989. Rev. Fr Elias D’Souza took the place of Fr William Menezes on June 6th 1989 and worked in the parish till May 17th 1991. Rev. Fr Joseph Martis took the place of Rev. Fr Roque D’Sa and worked in the parish from June 4th 1990 till June 1st 1992. On the transfer of Fr Elias D’Souza, Rev. Fr Valerian Menezes came to the parish on May 20th 1991 and served till May 28th 1993. Rev. Fr Maxim Noronha served as the assistant parish priest from May 27th 1993 till May 23rd 1994. Rev. Fr Eric Crasta took over from Fr Joseph Martis on May 27th 1992 and served till March 1st 1994. Rev. Fr Edwin Mascarenhas was the assistant parish priest from May 17th 1994 to May 5th 1997 and Rev. Fr Reginald Pinto from October 31st 1994 to May 27th 1996.
Fr DaCruz was devout and kind hearted. He was very generous towards the poor and the needy and worked hard to increase spirituality among the parishioners. He got the floor tiles of church replaced with tandoor tiles. He gave impetus to the working of the Platinum Jubilee Committee and formed sub committees to look into the various aspects of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. He got the church and the belfry painted for the jubilee and old kneelers of the main wing of the church were replaced with new ones. Mr Antony D’Souza was elected as vice – president of the parish council on July 7th 1988 and Mr Zozimus Pais was elected as secretary.
The Platinum Jubilee year was inaugurated on January 20th 1988 with the lighting of the lamp by Rev. Dr Basil S. D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore and offering a solemn High Mass on the church grounds with over 60 priests concelebrating the mass. The Bishop preached the sermon during the mass and congratulated the people of Bendur. He also encouraged them to live their faith with renewed vigour. Rev. Fr DaCruz thanked all those present and informed that the Platinum Jubilee committee had selected the theme “Union with Jesus through Mary” for the Jubilee. He hoped that the Jubilee year will benefit the parishioners spiritually. Two retreats were arranged during the Jubilee year- first one form October 30th to November 5th 1988 to be preached by Rev. Fr Francis Rebello S.J. and the second one by Rev. Fr John Monis, a Carmelite, from January 9th to 14th 1989.
Three seminars were held during the year, first one on the subject ‘Good Alter Boy’, conducted by Rev. Fr Stany Goveas and Rev. Fr Roque D’Souza. The second one was a two day seminor on “Role of Liturgy in the Catholic Church” conducted by Rev. Fr Mark Veigas, Rev. Fr Basil Vas and Rev. Fr Mark Castelino on July 2nd and 3rd 1988 and the third one on “Sunday Catechism” conducted by Rev. Fr Henry D’Souza and Rev Fr Henry Sequeira on August 20th and 21st 1988. During the year, four crosses were taken round in the parish under the leadership of the Gurkars. They were taken from house to house, to all the houses in the parish for prayer and adoration.
The Konkani drama on the life of St Sebastian the patron saint “Soldier Saint” written by Mr Claude D’Souza and directed by Prof. Alban Castelino was also enacted in the Don Bosco Hall on November 6th and 12th 1988, as a part of the Jubilee Programme. On December 11th 1998 the Bishop blessed the foundation stone for the Jubilee Memorial Hall, which was laid by the Mayor Mr P.M. Castelino. Various types of games and competitions such as festival cricket match, singing, dance, fancy dress and variety entertainment were held for the parishioners throughout the year and inter – parish throwball competition for ladies and inter – parish cricket tournament for men were held.
January 17th 1989 was celebrated as the Eucharistic Day. Fr Lawrence S.Pais, the one who was the first person to be baptized in the newly formed Bendur parish lit the lamp of the closing function of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations and concelebrated the thanksgiving mass along with a number of guest priests. The Blessed Sacrament was kept for public adoration the whole day and the parishioners took turns to worship. A holy hour was conducted from 5 to 6 p.m and at 6.00 p.m the Vicar General Msgr Aloysius D’Souza concelebrated the mass and preached the sermon. The Blessing of the Holy Euchrist was given after the Mass.
The feast of St Sebastian was celebrated as Thanksgiving Day on January 19th. Our Bishop Basil S. D’Souza and Bishop Patrick D’Souza the Bishop of Varanasi diocese along with over 75 priests concelebrated the solemn High Mass on the open grounds in front of the church which was attended by over 3,000 faithful. Fr. Henry Castelino, a parishioner preached the sermon giving a glimpse of the history of the parish. On July 21st 1991 Mr Zozimus Pais was elected as vice – president of the parish council and Mr Aloysius D’Souza was elected as secretary.