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.