Udupi, 03 Jul: Rector of the Milagres Cathedral and Dean of Kallianpur Deanery, Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca, passed away due to cardiac arrest on 3 July 2024 at the age of 75.
Born on 9 December 1949 at Pilar, Shirva was the son of Gabriel Mendonca and Seraphine Mendonca, He was ordained a priest on 7 May 1976.
Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca had an illustrious career as a priest, educationist, administrator and musician. He had a degree of MA in English and a Diploma in Communications (Radio & AV Aids), alongside a Bachelor of .Theology from the Urban University, Rome. He subsequently served as an assistant director at St. Anthony’s Ashram in Jeppu, assistant priest in Vamanjoor, and pursued studies in Secunderabad and at the Canara Communication Center in Mangaluru.
The various posts held by Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca included:
1. 1976: Assistant Director at St Antony’s, Jeppu
2. 1976-1978: Assistant parish priest at Omzoor
3. 1978-1979: Studies in Secunderabad
4. 1979-1980: Secretary at Canara Communication, Padua
5. 1980-1983: Assistant parish priest at Kallianpur
6. 1983-1985: Vice-principal at Milagres, Mangaluru
7. 1985-1986: In-charge principal at Milagres, Mangaluru
8. 1986-1987: Ecclesiastical administrator at Tallur
9. 1987-1988: Vice-principal at Milagres, Mangaluru
10. 1988-1995: Lecturer at Milagres, Kallianpur
11. 1995-1997: Vice-Principal at Milagres, Kallianpur
12. 1997-2003: Principal at Milagres, Kallianpur
13. 2003-2007: Principal at Aikala
14. 2008-2012: Director and principal at Sandesh, Mangaluru, and secretary of KRCBC
15. 2012-2017: Parish priest at Barkur, chancellor of Udupi Diocese, director of Social Communication Commission, Udupi
16. 2017-Present: Parish priest at Udupi, chancellor of Udupi Diocese, director of Social Communication Commission, Udupi.
Individually and along with Rev Fr Clement Mascarenahs, Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca had composed a number of Konkani, Kannada and Hindi Hymns. He produced several audio cassettes and CDs, with his liturgical compositions gaining international recognition.