V Rev. Msgr. Denis Jerome D’Souza

Builder of the present Church building

and the founder of Milagres College

V Rev. Msgr. Denis Jerome D’Souza who founded the Milagres College in June 1967 at the astounding age of 83 can be compared to the great patriarch Abraham giving birth to a child at the old age .  Definitely Our Lady of Miracles was with him to realize this miracle. Another great feat wasthat  he managed  to bring  Dr  P.  GururajBhat, a great researcher as its founder principal.   V Rev. Msgr. Denis Jerome D’Souza was the parish priest of Milagres church for two different terms. Once from 1934 to 1942 and yet again from 1954 to 1971.  In the first term, he rebuilt the present day Milagres Cathedral structure which was 140 years old  and in dire need of restructuring and inaugurated and blessed it in the year 1942.  Now  we it is the Platinum Jubilee of this monumenyalstrure that we are celebrating.  In the second term, he founded other great structures in the form of Milagres College,Goretti Hospital and St Teresa Little Flower of Jesus Church, Kemmannu.

V Rev. Msgr. Denis Jerome D’Souza  was born on 8th March 1884 in Kodialbail Mangalore. He had his  college education  at the St Aloysius educational institutions and completed his seminary studies in St Joseph Seminary Mangalore.  He was ordained a priest  in the year 1910 and in the same year came to Milagres Church, Kallianpur as a Assistant Parish Priest. During those years, he showed  great interest in the Milagres  educational institutions and was responsible in staring a school in Perampalli. Later he was transferred to BarkurParish . He took great interest in the Boarding School, Barkur so the PanchayatPresident  entrusted him the responsibility  of looking after this school. Then he was  transferred to Kundapur’s Holy Rosary Church where he started the primary school he started and  today it is  a famous Pre-University College. He also started a school for girls there and today it is a famous girls high school in the area.

         In 1934, he was appointed as the Parish Priest of MiIlagres Church, Kallianpur church. During this time, he brought L V T P school into the fold of Milagres Church. He  also started a primary school in Thottam. In 1938, he built St Ann’s Church at Thottam and later constructed the Church at Kemmannu. In 1940, he started to rebuild the present church which was 140 years old and it was blessed in the year April 1942. Later he was transferred to Milagres Mangalore where he converted a primary school into a high school and today it is has grown into a degree college. He started Padua High School which is  populardegree college today.

  In 1954, Rev. Msgr. Denis Jerome D’Souza came to the Parish as Vicar for the a second time term and immediately began his missionary work with great zeal.  In 1956, he started a separate section for girls in Milagres High School and built a separate block for it. In 1958, he founded Goretti Hospital. In 1960, he celebrated his Golden Jubilee of priesthood during which Pope John XXIII conferred the tittle of Msgr. on him.  In June of 1967, June with the able support of Msgr. William Lewis and the parishioners he founded Milagres College which was inaugurated by Mr T A Pai. The College began with PUC with Arts and Commerce combinations and degree with B A and B Com. His fore sight made him to  get Dr P. GururajBhat, a great researcher and scholar as its founder principal. In 1968, Manipal Academy honored him for his contribution to the field of education. He retired in 1970 after the Diamond Jubilee of his priesthood and spent his last days in Goretti Hospital. On 4th June 1975 after working in Lords vineyard for nearly 65 years, he passed away to his heavenly abode.

Founder of Science Section:    V Rev Fr Gregory L D’ Cruz

V Rev Fr Gregory L D’Cruz was the Parish Priest of Milagres Church and correspondence of MIlagres College from 1977 to 1985. Under his leadership, the parishioners celebrated the Tri-centenary of Milagres Parish in 1981. As a memory of which Tri-Centenary Hall was constructed, Milagres English Medium institutions were  started and the science section was added to the Milagres College along with the subject of Sociology to the Arts section.

  He was born in Goa, on 9^th May 1920 as the son of Antony D’Cruz. He came to Mangalore and was ordained a priest for the Mangalore Diocese on 6^th April 1948. He served in Mulki, Bellur, Puttur, Trasi and Bendur as Parish Priest. He retired in 1995 from Bendur Parish and thereafter he was the chaplain of Nirmala Convent, Ullal. He spent his last days in Vianney Home, Kankanady where he breathed his last on 18^th June 2005.

  He was a simple and devout priest who looked out for the poor and helped their children for education.   In his memory, the Milagres College Science Association organizes Mangalore University level Science Competitions every year.

Udupi : With the intention and mission of educational needs of the youth from rural background, 83 years old late Monsignor Very Rev Denis J. D’Souza had a dream that the boys and girls who work in the paddy field should be able to come to the college straight from the field. It was the divine power and founded the college in Kallianpur as one history by Msgr D.J. D’Souza, said Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of Fisheries, sports and Youth Empowerment, Government of Karnataka.

He was speaking during the celebration of Milagres College Golden Jubilee at Kallianpur near here on Friday, 13^thJanuary, 2013 that the college has achieved its popular status in the locality for its outreach and philanthropic programmes. Its achievements in various academic and co curricular activities are well acclaimed by people of the locality.  

He said that the Karnataka Government has been supportive of educational institutions and provided Rs. 50 lakh to improve the road from Santhekatte to Kallianpur and Rs. 17 lakh provided for the concretization of College Road.

The programme began with invocation by college choir. Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo Correspondent of Milagres Educational Institutions welcomed the gathering.

Prof Archana Dabade presented the milestone of the college on Golden Jubilee year. Most Rev Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udupi Diocese and President of Catholic Education Society of Udupi Diocese presided over the programme.

Dr. Gerald Pinto Principal of Milagres Degree College, Mrs. Savitha Kumari Pricipal of Milagres PU College and Ms. Helma Flemina Picardo Secretary of Students Welfare Council placed their annual report respectively.

Shirthady William Pinto and Very Rev Fr. William Gonsalves, persons who helped the founder to establish the college were felicitated by the Bishop. Meanwhile Very Rev Fr. Marcel Saldahna former Correspondent of the college, past Principals of the college as well as PU College were felicitated during the occasion. Rev Fr. Valerian Mendonca and Prof Sadashiva Alse spoke after the felicitation.

Meanwhile retired staffs of both teaching and administrative were honoured during the occasion. Public reciprocation honouring also held on the occasion. International Weight Lifter Karthik Poojary and other student achievers were honoured by Alfred Crasto, an Alumni and chief guest of the celebrations.

Addressing on the occasion Dr. Oscar Fernandes Rajya Sabha member and former central minister said that Udupi not only famous in Banking development but also in the field of Education also. It has one of the top districts in India in the field of Banking and Quality education. Bangaluru is the second Silicon Valley in the world.  Milagres College has filled the vacuum in providing higher education. Milagres College has given quality education to the society in this rural area since 50 years.

Alfred Crasto, an Alumnus of the college expressed his joy on returning to the college after 30 years and called his fellow students to visit their college after their studies.

Fr. Lawrence D’Souza, Secretary CESU said that it is the day which remember the sacrifice of those who contributed towards the institution and look back with gratitude and see forward with good hope. He said that Milagres College declared as Pride of Catholic Church in India.

In his presidential address Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo said that Milagres stands for miracles. We should remember former correspondents, principals and others who had great vision for the development of the institution. The most important persons on the campus are the students for whom the college exists. We proud of college students who have excelled in various fields and shining all over the world in various positions of honour. Milagres forms students into persons of integrity and responsibility.

Souvenir of the golden jubilee was released by the Bishop during the occasion.

Msgr Dr. Baptist Menezes, Vicar General of Udupi Diocese and Vice President of CESU, Janardhan Thonse ZP member, Pushpa Kotian President of Kallianpur Grama Panchayat, Dhanajay Kunder member of Taluk Panchayat, Rev Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino campus director, Dr. Neri Cornelio Vice President of Milagres Cathedral Parish Pastoral Council, Ravichandra Nayak Degree PTA President, Vishnu Prasad PU PTA president, Rosalia Cordoza President of SWC in degree section, Joyce D’Souza President of SWC, PU section, Shalet Mathias, staff secretary in degree and Matilda Lewis staff secretary in PU section, Joseph Peter Fernandes Organizing secretary of Golden Jubilee celebrations and other among were present on the dais.

Matilda Lewis proposed vote of thanks of the stage programme. Students of both degree and PU conducted various cultural programmes afternoon.

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When our founder started our college in 1967, he was 83 years old but then Fr Williaam Goncalves who was the head master of Milagres Highschool was youngand energetic. He assisted Monsinger in every aspets from getting required to finding the donours.  When he came here as a correspondent, he completed all the projects initated by Fr D cruz which includes the science setion of our college. He was also founder staff mmember of the college.

Shirthady Wlliam Pinto who was also young dynamic and a community leader helped our founder in getting a good principal and very good staff to the college. He also also helped our founder to get donors to pay the salary of the staff and was the staff member in the department od commerece more than 30 years.