KULUR
CHURCH OF ST ANTONY
Kulur P.O. - 575 013
Mangalore Taluk , D.K. District
TELEPHONE  :       0824-245 8996

Born: 02-10-1953    Ordained: 04-05-1982 Rev. Gerald Pinto hails from Bondel Parish.  He was born on 02-10-1953.  After his SSLC, he did his Priestly studies in St. Joseph’s Seminary Mangalore and was ordained a priest for the diocese of Mangalore on 04-05-1982. He served as asst. parish priest at Cascia, Derebail, Moodbelle and Vittal. Later on he served as parish priest at Pavoor parish. Then he was made chaplain to Belve parish. After that he was transferred to Basroor and then to Paneer as parish priest.  Presently he is the parish priest of Kulur parish.

Location: This church is situated at a distance of 12 kms north of Mangalore on the hill overlooking the sea, is surrounded by Surathkal, Pezar, Bondel, Derebail, Ashoknagar and Thannirbhavi parishes.

Parish Priest

PARISH PRIEST      :    Rev. Fr Gerald Pinto
CATHOLIC POPULATION  :    Total : 2,750        
CATHOLIC FAMILIES     :    555
PARISH WARDS       :    14
PARISH NEWSLETTER  :    Kulurchem  Kirnn (Quarterly)

Hostory:  

Fr Muller, the pioneer Jesuit priest and the founder of Fr Muller’s Hospital used to reside at Kulur.  At that time, Kulur was under the Cathedral parish.  Fr Muller used his bungalow as a Picnic Spot for the Jesuit priests.

In the year 1854 a small thatched hall was built at a distance of 3 furlongs from the present church.  Frs Muller and Pagani used to celebrate mass here from 1855.  The local Hindus burnt the hall but the Catholics rebuilt it.  In 1860 government donated the entire hill to construct a church.

A chapel built in 1871 was served from the Cathedral till February 9, 1888, when it was constituted into an independent parish with Fr J. M. Masse as its first parish priest.

The new church built by Fr Santhan B.C. Lewis was blessed on April 6, 1920.  A well was dug by Mr John F. D’Lima in memory of his father Santhan D’Lima on March 23, 1947.  The presbytery was renovated and inaugurated on October 15, 1990 during the time of Fr J. S. T. Rodrigues.  The existing belfry was also built during his time.

Fatima parish at Thannirbhavi was erected on May 16, 1950 by separating a portion of Kulur close to the coast.

Fr Lawrence Noronha began Kulur Higher Primary School in 1891 at the bungalow of Fr Muller.  In 1895, he put up a small building for school.  Fr Reginald D’Lima started the Kulur High School, which was inaugurated by the Bishop on June 1, 1962.  Fr Maurice F. D’Souza has constructed the new school building and a multi purpose hall.