Rev. Fr. Vincent F Monteiro
Native: Angelore
Date of Birth: 24 July 1954
Date of Ordination: 22 April 1981
Rev. Fr. Vincent F Monteiro took over as the eighteenth parish priest on June 6th 2018.
Rev. Fr. Antony Serrao (2011 – 2018)
Rev. Fr Antony Michael Serrao took over as the seventeenth parish priest on June 3rd 2011. Fr Serrao has already proved to be a good organizer and administrator. He has given impetus to the growth and development of the Padua Educational Institutions. Being a spiritual person himself he works for the spiritual development of the parish. Though a man of few words he is very sensitive and generous to the needs of the parishioners. Fr Serrao has renovated the parish office and made it spacious and bright. He has also added a mini hall to the parish house exclusively for meetings of the parish associations and the parish pastoral Parishad and has already started the preparatory work of the Centenary Celebrations of the Parish.
Rev. Fr. Peter S. Noronha (2003 -2011)
Being a dynamic personality he came with a vast knowledge and experience having worked in various parishes and institutions. Besides working for the spiritual development of the parishioners, he also beautified the church, the church compound, especially by growing and maintaining a beautiful garden and planted trees for shade all round the church and the auditorium. A man with green fingers he could make anything green with his touch. He even beautified the cemetery by building a beautiful arch and gate as well as by planting trees for shade and laid interlock tiles to the passage in the cemetery and fixed water taps and got some parts of the slopes in the cemetery levelled. He also gave a facelift to the interior of the church building by fixing marble slabs to the base of the walls and pillars. The floor of the sanctuary was beautified with vitrified tiles and illuminated with beautiful chandeliers to brighten up the entire altar.
He renovated the steps and built ramps with banisters to enable the elderly and the sick to enter the church easily. He set up a beautiful altar for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and got a new and modern sound system for the church. He beautified the grotto with a water fountain and a Crucifix was erected by its side. This Crucifix used to be venerated on Good Friday services during the Holy week. He renovated the Platinum Jubilee Auditorium by adding dressing rooms for the bride and the groom, and renovated the entire ceiling. A canopy was constructed, and a standby kitchen behind the auditorium for the caterers to warm up food was also constructed. He also added bath and wash- rooms to the parish hall. A new heavy duty noiseless generator was purchased during his time to simultaneously serve the needs of the church, the parish hall and the platinum jubilee auditorium during power failure.
Rev. Fr. J.P.Tauro – (1995 – 2003)
Fr Tauro liked to work with the poor and for the poor, and consequently devoted his time and energy for their betterment. In spite of his poor health he used to visit the poor the sick and the elderly regularly. He was approachable by all parishioners, especially by those with problems. He was a good writer and also started a matrimonial column in the parish bulletin. Realising the need for a modern parochial house a new house was built in the place of the old one. He was very generous to the Society of St Vincent de Paul and supported them in helping the poor in the parish. He got wash-rooms built adjacent to the church for the needs of those attending the church services. He started the English Medium School and the P.U. College with suitable amenities at Padua. He started the Bendur unit of the Catholic Sabha. He got new hymn books printed in Konkani and English for the parish. He started the Mass in English at 8.00 a.m. on Sundays as it was observed that many parishioners were attending Mass in English in other parishes, and changed the Sunday Konkani Mass timings to: first Mass at 5.30 a.m as usual, Second Mass at 6.45 a.m. and after the Mass in English, a Mass in Konkani for children attending catechism classes at 9.15 a.m. without changing the obligatory Mass timings on Saturday & Sunday evenings. On completion of seven years service in the parish he was transferred to Bejai Parish on May 24th 2003.
Rev. Fr. Gregory L D’Cruz – (1987-1995)
The plans of Fr. Stanley Pereira for new flooring and the Platinum Jubilee of Bendur Parish were realized by him. A memorial came up in the form of St. Sebastian Platinum Jubilee Auditorium which is highly patronized. The church received a facelift with new tiles flooring, re-wiring of electrical works, new benches and kneelers, asphalting of the open ground in front of the church and an altar dais for open-air services in the Holy Week and Christmas time. His love for the poor was such that he set apart 25% of the Hall collections for needy parishioners and another 25% for poor from other parishes. He returned the purse one lakh rupees given to him as a farewell gesture to create a medical aid fund for the poor. The Parish monthly Newsletter ‘Voice of Bendur’ for free distribution is his contribution.
Rev. Fr. Stanley Pereira – (1981-1987) began the devotion to our Lady of Lourdes at the church grotto. He began the practice of taking the Holy Cross from house to house. In his time, St. Margret School merged with St. Sebastian School to become the St. Sebastian Hr. Pry. School to be run by the Bethany Sisters. Religious ceremonies on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were restarted. He began the Lenten House Scheme for the poor and increased the number of wards from 10 to 21. Repairs to church roof and the parochial house were done by him.
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Pereira – (1973-1980) introduced many new religious practices and strengthened the SVP. He brought in a better sound system and renovated the parochial house. He too died in harness and was buried in the cemetery.
Rev. Fr. Alexander D’Souza – (1971 -1973) introduced prayers inside the cemetery itself for the departed souls. The first meeting of the Parish Council was conducted by him in March 1973. He became Vicar General in 1973.
Rev. Fr. Albert Pinto – (1962-1971) completed the belfry, built the parish hall and celebrated the Golden Jubilee. He began the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. He died on All Saints day, 1971 and was buried inside the church.
Rev. Fr. Alexander Pinto – (1952-1962) got a new bell, planned the new belfry.
Rev. Fr. Basil Peres – (1952) a parishioner himself was the parish priest for three months. Soon he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Mangalore.
Rev. Fr. Marian Fernandes (1951-1952) later became the Director of Fr. Muller’s Hospital.
Rev. Fr. Denis Sequeira (1948-1951) attended to many spiritual needs.
Rev. Fr. Louis D’Silva – (1945-1948) strengthened devotion.
Rev. Fr.Charles Lobo – (1936-1945) built the front façade and electrified the church. Silver Jubilee was celebrated.
Rev. Fr.Francis D’Souza – (1933-1936). He completed the building of parochial house.
Rev. Fr. Severine Tellis – (1931-1933). Began building the parochial house (1931-1933).
Rev. Fr. Raymond Mascarenhas – (1914-1931)
He was the founder vicar and worked ceaselessly for 17 years.