By Ivan D’Costa –
The Kelaguru Saint Saturnine Chapel in Chickmagalur of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is set to celebrate its platinum jubilee tomorrow, Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Together with past parish priests, Balehonnur Deanery priests, and His Excellency Most Rev. T. Anthony Swamy, Bishop of Chickmagalur, will celebrate a Holy Eucharist Mass of gratitude. The Kelaguru estate government has arranged fellowship meals and cultural events to take place after the Holy Mass.
Live coverage of the event will be available on Divyavani Channel. The Kelaguru Sub-station’s history will mark a significant turning point with this incident.
The hill country of Chikmagaluru town is located 57 kilometres distant from Kelaguru, a tiny village in the Chickmagaluru district of Mudigere Taluka. Plantations growing tea and coffee are well-known in the region. The late Mr. Saturnine Louis Mathias founded the Kelaguru Coffee and Tea Plantation in 1926. The clerics from Mudigere parish were called by the Reverend, who supported people from many castes and religions and allowed the Christians to carry out their religious duties at home.
Hirebile, a substation of Mudigere, was established as a separate parish in 1943. The Hirebile parish was in charge of the Kelaguru region. The late S.L. Mathias was always sensitive to the material and spiritual needs of the populace, but he also believed that funds prevented them from erecting a church. S.L. Mathias was given the title of “Dewan Bahadur” by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar and was also offered the title of “Knight of St. Gregory the Great” by Pope Pius 11th.
Along with their mother, Mrs. Stefania Mathias, he and his sons Casimir, George, Edward, and Harry made the decision to fulfil their father’s dream of erecting a chapel. On November 29, 1948, the day of Diwan Bahadur S.L. Mathias’s birthday, the chapel was dedicated to Saint Saturnine at the Kelaguru Coffee and Tea plantations. The Mysore Diocese’s then-bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Bishop Rene Feuga, blessed and opened the church. The Kelaguru Chapel has remained a sub-station of the Hirebile parish ever since.
The people in and around Kelaguru are grateful to the Mathias family of Kelaguru for giving them such a priceless gift. From that point on, liturgical celebrations are held continually, but Holy Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 7:00 a.m. on all festival days and special days.
A large grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes was also included in the chapel’s construction. This community is renowned nowadays for its spirituality. It is not unusual to see people visiting the grotto to pray to Our Lady. Every year on February 11th, people commemorate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes with tremendous devotion and without regard to their caste, creed, or colour. Thousands of people assemble to honour the blessed Mother. Due to its popularity, the grotto has evolved from a place where people come to pray to a hub for religious harmony. Every year on the feast, throngs of people come here to pray and give thanks. Christians have been so devoted to this place that it has almost taken on the status of a miraculous location.
The services of the priests and assistant priests from Hirebile parish are greatly appreciated by the Kelaguru Mathias family and the residents of Kelaguru sub-station. On Sundays and festival days, priests travel 13 km to this sub-station to celebrate Holy Mass, braving wind, rain, and cold.
The people of Kelaguru remember with devotion the selfless service of all these priests even today. Late Rev. Fr. J. A. Pereira (1946-1952) was the first priest to serve at Kelaguru sub-station, followed by Late Rev. Fr. Fidelis Pinto (1952-1966), Late Rev. Fr. Joe Mary Lobo (1966-1971), Rev. Fr. Patrick D’Souza (1971-1980), Rev. Fr. Daniel D’Souza (1980-1989), Rev. Fr. George D’Souza (1989-1995) Late Rev. Fr. G.V. D’Souza (1995-2002), Rev. Fr. Francis Rasquinha (2002-2008), Rev. Fr. R. Rajendra (2008-2014), late Rev. Fr. Gilbert Pinto (2014-2015), Rev. Fr. George Andrade (2015-2022) and the assistant priests, Late Rev. Fr. Felix. Walter Pinto (1975-1978), Rev. Fr. J.B. Castellino (1978-1980), late Rev. Fr A. Shanthappa (1991-1993), Rev. Fr. Sunil Prakash Rodrigues (2014-2015) and Rev. Fr. Avin Michael (2021-2022.) while we thank all the priests for their selfless services, we gratefully acknowledge the services of those who have departed to their heavenly abode. May their souls rest in eternal peace. May merciful Lord grant them heavenly bliss.
Every priest in this place made a special effort to meet the spiritual needs of the people. They provided the people with excellent pastoral care while visiting each home. Among the priests who have served here are outstanding writers, composers, preachers, planners, and Bible experts. They were the ones who started the spiritual movement among people in the first place. Priests’ passion for their work, love to God, and loyalty to the Church allowed people to get excellent instruction. On November 29, 2008, the Chapel celebrated its 60th anniversary, with Rev. Fr. R. Rajendra serving as the coordinator. We sincerely thank them for their assistance. May all priests be blessed with good health, pleasure, and joy by the high priest, Lord Jesus.
To help the people follow the spiritual road, Rev. Fr. Joe Mary Lobo went to great lengths and pains. Here, he trained young people in music and started a strong choir group. He taught Mr. Jerome Pinto how to play the harmonium. Kelagur had an amazing and wonderful musical choir up till Mr. Pinto retired.
52 years ago, while Rev. Fr. Joe Mary Lobo was in office, the beloved priest brought the well-known Wilfy Rebimbus troupe to Hirebile and arranged musical events in Tulu, Kannada, and Konkani. Konkan Kogul Mr. Wilfy performed a beautiful rendition of the song “Chendada Ooru Kelaguru..Andada bailu Hirebileu” during this musical performance.
Numerous Kelagur youth were also instructed by Fr. Joe to participate in cultural events. During his term, Rev. Fr. George D’souza went to great lengths to arrange faith-formation workshops for children, organised camps at Kelaguru, and encouraged young people to get involved in diocesan and regional level programmes.
Presently serving as the 15th Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. David Prakash, is a busy bee who gathers the kindness and sweetness in the hearts of his flock. He has completed a number of excellent programmes in just one year, and he is still working above and beyond his physical capabilities to advance the Parish’s social, religious, educational, and economic development. We can find creativity, hard work, passion, skill, interpersonal friendship, eloquence, and knowledge in his dedicated services, all of which captivate the parishioners. Under Fr. David Prakash leadership, training programmes are being run well.
The current shepherd, Most Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Swamy, as well as the prior bishops, Most Rev. Dr. Alphonsus Mathias and Late Most Rev. John Baptist Sequeira, are providing unwavering spiritual direction and support.
On March 15, 1983, Fr. Faustine Brank, a resident of Kelaguru Sub-station, received his priestly ordination. This happened during the tenure of Fr. Daniel D. Souza. The initiative to plan this programme belonged to the late Joe Mary Lobo. Numerous First Holy Communions, marriages, and baptisms have occurred in this church. A resident of this parish is currently a seminarian preparing to become ordained as a priest. Additionally, they have supported a few individuals who have gone on to become religious sisters and brothers who are currently working in various Indian religious groups.
There used to be close to 350 Catholics attending Sunday Mass when this little chapel was first built. There are currently just 75 left. Still, they are being moved by the same spirit. The youth left the Christian community over time to seek their livelihood, education, and jobs in other places, which resulted in a decline in the town’s population. We are pleased with their development and contributions across a range of industries. They have made their home in developed nations. They are now visible to us as professors, athletes, etc. Nonetheless, we are glad to report that the fervour of devotion among the followers and the faith of the pious residing in this place has not diminished and continues to shine brilliantly.
Not only did the Kelaguru Mathias family construct the chapel dedicated to Saint Saturnine, but they are also recognised with furnishing it with all the amenities required to bring it up to date. In order to make it easier for devotees from the Meguru ‘A’ and Meguru ‘B’ sections of Kelaguru farm to come and go and participate in Holy Eucharistic celebrations and other services, the late E. J. Mathias, the managing partner, built a small chapel and grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. This vehicle arrangement is still in place today. The priests’ transportation from Hirebile parish to celebrate Holy Mass has been arranged. For a comfortable stay at the Centre, appropriate arrangements have been made for food and lodging.
By attending to the chapel’s and the people’s requirements, Mr. Peter Mathias, a senior navy commander, who followed the route set by his predecessors, has become well-known. The current manager, Mr. Sanjay Mathias, is dedicated to the Catholic Church and carries on the elders’ tradition with affection. The superintendents and attendants of the Kelaguru farm have provided outstanding and praiseworthy services in all of these developments. They serve as a link and a bridge that connects the populace to the government.
The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters (UFS) of Sacred Heart Convent Hirebile, have consistently provided unselfish services, spiritual support, and ongoing assistance throughout the Eucharistic celebrations. Sr. Helen Sequeira, UFS is the Superior of the convent. In front of the chapel, there is a cemetery in Kelagur as well. The Estate authority takes excellent care of it.
Often referred to as the “Ooty” of Karnataka, the lush, picturesque vistas of the Kelaguru plantations calm and entice numerous visitors. A lot of Kannada films are shot here. “Naa Ninna Mareyalar,” directed by Dr. Rajkumar, is one such movie. It is their hope that this location will grant them all a life of devotion surrounded by lush nature by the intercession of dear Saint Saturnine.
The parish priest, Rev. Fr David Prakash, the manager, Mr. Sanjay Mathias, the supervisor, Mr. Sathurnine D’Souza, the assistant supervisor, Valerian Pereira, the assistant supervisor, Noel Gonsalves, Mohan, Anil Castelinho, Sudhakar, Ravi Amin, Shivakumar, Harish Felis Sequeira, and Praveen Sequeira are all putting forth a lot of effort to make the jubilee a success.