St. Vincent De Paul Church, Katapadi is situated at a distance of 59 kms to the north of Mangalore on the coast and 7 kms south of Udupi, and is surrounded by Udyavar, Pangala, Pamboor and Kuntalnagar parishes.

Katapadi was once a part of the Udyavar Parish. However, the Catholics living in and around Katapadi found it very difficult to attend their Sunday obligations and avail

religious and spiritual services as Udyavar Church was quite far away for them. Those were the days of hardships as there was no vehicular facility. Rough roads and swelling Papanashini River made their journey to Udyavar Church much more difficult.

Under these circumstances, Mathias D’Silva and his sons, J.M. D’Silva and F. X. D’Silva led the people to meet the Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Dr. Victor R. Fernandes in 1945 and convinced him of the need of a separate parish and a church at Katapadi. There were around 130 families belonging to the Udyavar Parish but having their houses far from the church, mainly in the places south of River Papanashini, east up to the frontiers of Belle and Pangla Parishes and to the west up to the Arabian Sea comprising of the villages of Kote, Mattu, Kallappu, Yenagudde, Manipura West and parts of Kurkal. They urged the Bishop to issue a decree for a new parish and church at Katapadi.

Bishop Victor R. Fernandes was convinced of the need of the people of Katapadi to have their own parish and church and he instructed them to get the required land and buildings so that he could process the decree for a new parish…..Read More