It was an occasion of immense joy, warmth and thanksgiving for the faithful of Valencia Parish, as they gathered in a spirit of great enthusiasm and unity to warmly welcome their new Parish Priest, Rev. Fr Cyprian Pinto, on 26 May 2026 at 5:30 pm, making it a truly memorable and grace filled moment of celebration for the entire parish.
The new Parish Priest was accorded a warm and cordial welcome by the outgoing Parish Priest, Rev. Fr Roque DSa, along with Assistant Parish Priest Rev. Fr Pradeep Rodrigues, Parish Council Vice President Ronald Rodrigues, Secretary Leeda Aquinas and 21 Commission Coordinator Julian DSouza. He was greeted with floral garlands as a mark of love, respect and heartfelt goodwill. Together with a large gathering of parishioners.
The formal handing over ceremony was presided over by Rev. Fr Walter DSouza, Parish Priest of St Sebastian Church Bendur, who represented the Bishop of Mangalore.
During the sacred ceremony, Fr Cyprian Pinto formally assumed charge as Parish Priest of Valencia Church. As a part of the liturgical and symbolic rites, he took the oath of office and received the stole from the outgoing Parish Priest, signifying the transmission of pastoral authority and priestly responsibility. He was then presented with the Holy Bible, from which he proclaimed the Word of God, symbolising his mission to faithfully preach the Gospel and shepherd the people of God. Subsequently, he professed his faith in the Triune God and reaffirmed his commitment to the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. The outgoing Parish Priest handed over the parish family records, representing the pastoral care and spiritual responsibility of the parish. The financial records were formally entrusted by Vice President Ronald Rodrigues, signifying stewardship over the temporal goods of the parish. The keys of the Tabernacle were then solemnly handed over to the new Parish Priest by the bishop’s representative, marking his sacred duty in the reverent care of the Blessed Sacrament. Members of the Parish Pastoral Council lit candles from the candle held by the Parish Priest, beautifully symbolising their unity and shared participation in the mission of the Church. The ceremony concluded with Fr Cyprian Pinto imparting his solemn blessing upon all gathered faithful.
Following the liturgical program, a brief welcome ceremony was organised which was compered by Dolphy Saldanha.
Parish Council Vice-President Ronald Rodrigues welcomed the gathering, introduced Fr Cyprian Pinto and presented a brief yet insightful overview of Valencia Parish. He highlighted the parish’s pastoral activities, spiritual growth, active participation of various commissions and associations and the progress achieved over the years. He also shared key details about the parish structure, including the families, convents and institutions under its jurisdiction.
Speaking on the occasion, outgoing Parish Priest Fr Roque DSa said that the parishioners of Permannur were filled with mixed emotions as they bid goodbye to Fr Cyprian Pinto. He described Fr Cyprian’s appointment as a blessing from God and remarked that transfers are a part of every priest’s journey, as priests usually serve in nearly 7 to 8 parishes from ordination until retirement. Continuing, he expressed his personal joy, sharing that both he and Fr Cyprian belong to Shirthady parish. Recalling their childhood days, he said that when he was studying in the 2nd std, Fr Cyprian was in the 1st std and the two often played kabaddi together. He also mentioned that another priest, Fr Bonaventure is from the same our parish and said he was proud that three priests from Shirthady had the opportunity to serve at Valencia Church. Describing Fr Cyprian as a unique gift from God, Fr Roque said he is loving, cheerful, approachable, sharp and intelligent. He added that wherever he serves, he always contributes something meaningful to the parish. Referring to the large signboard at the entrance of the parish listing the halls and kindergarten, he humorously remarked that there was still some vacant space left and prayed that before Fr Cyprian leaves Valencia, he would accomplish many more works worthy of being added there. Speaking about the patron saint, St Vincent Ferrer, Fr Roque noted that hundreds of miracles have been attributed to his intercession. He also said that St Sebastian, the patron of Permannur and Bendur, is equally powerful. Concluding his speech, he prayed that these patron saints would intercede and make Fr Cyprian’s mission fruitful, while also blessing the parishioners of Permannur and Valencia.
Speaking on the occasion, the new Parish Priest, Fr Cyprian Pinto, said that when the news spread that he had been assigned to take over the reins of Valencia Parish, a friend remarked to him, “Valencia’che Vaare Jeevak Borem” (The air of Valencia is good for health). He noted that Valencia is a historic parish with 91 years of history, while Permannur Parish has a history of 108 years. He described Valencia as a large and vibrant parish with talented and well-educated parishioners who hold deep pride and affection for their Church and have always shown love and support to their parish priests. Fr Cyprian mentioned that he is the 21st Parish Priest of this Church and observed that the fact that all 20 previous parish priests completed their full terms reflects the love and respect of the people towards their pastors. He expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve in such a loving parish. He also congratulated and thanked Fr Roque DSa, who served as Parish Priest and Fr Pradeep Rodrigues, Assistant Parish Priest, for their dedicated service and tireless efforts for the growth of the parish. Sharing a personal note, he said that he, Fr Roque and Fr Bonaventure both from Shirthady parish, with the latter two being his seniors and expressed pride in their shared service to the Church. He added that his relationship with Fr Roque is special, as they have always admired each other and even their families have shared a close friendship. He thanked the parishioners for the warm and hearty welcome. He also expressed gratitude to the Vice President Ronald Rodrigues, for his constant support and simplicity. He appealed to all parishioners for their love, prayers and cooperation and called for working together for the growth and betterment of the parish. Concluding his speech, he thanked Fr Melwin, Assistant Parish Priest of Permannur; Arun DSouza Vice President of Permannur, Jyothi DSouza Secretary and Dolphy Coordinator of the 21 commissions. He also thanked Fr Walter DSouza for leading the installation ceremony, all the priests who accompanied him and all the parishioners of Valencia and Permannur for their presence at the takeover ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Bishops’ Representative and Bendur Parish Priest, Fr Walter DSouza congratulated Fr Cyprian and praised his vast experience in pastoral ministry. He noted that Fr Cyprian had completed his full term of service in every parish he served, except at Udyavar, where he returned after one year when Udupi became a diocese. He also appreciated the good work carried out by Fr Cyprian in every parish and expressed confidence that his experience would greatly benefit the Valencia parish. Speaking about Fr Roque, Fr Walter said that during his six years of service, he won the hearts of the parishioners through his simplicity and friendly nature. As Fr Roque takes charge of the Gantalkatte parish, he extended his best wishes for his new mission. Concluding his speech, Fr Walter wished Fr Cyprian all the very best and expressed hope that, under his guidance, Valencia parish would continue to grow and soar to greater heights.
Among those present on the occasion were outgoing Parish Priest Fr Roque DSa, Assistant Parish Priest Fr Pradeep Rodrigues, Parish Council Vice-President Ronald Rodrigues, Secretary Leeda Aquinas, Bishop’s Representative and Parish Priest of Bendur Fr Walter DSouza, Parish Priest of Permannur Fr Andrew Leo DSouza, Assistant Parish Priest of Permannur Fr Melwin DSouza, Vice-President of Permannur Parish Arun DSouza, along with a large gathering of faithful from both Permannur and Valencia Parishes. Priest Present for the occasion where Fr Lawerence Mascarenhas (Parish Priest Vamanjoor), Fr Jeevan Shailesh (Asst Parish Priest Vamanjoor), Fr Victor DMello (Parish Priest Panir), Fr Antony Lasrado (Parish Priest Jeppu), Fr Praveen DSouza (Designate Director ICYM Mangalore Diocese), Fr Valerian Pinto (Chaplain Nirmala Convent Ullal), Fr Joseph Mascarenhas (Parish Priest Fajir)
The event concluded on a warm and fraternal note with refreshments served to all present. A significant number of parishioners from Permannur accompanied Fr Cyprian Pinto, extending their heartfelt farewell and prayers as he assumed his new pastoral responsibility at Valencia Parish.
News by Gordon DAlmeida
Pics by Stanley Bantwal
