Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Utorda, celebrates 50 years since its elevation from chapel to church on May 13
J.P. PEREIRA
The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes was opened to the faithful on October 30, 1894. Prior to this, there existed a Holy Cross in Gabriel Cruz Ward on the Eastern side. The nine families residing in the ward would celebrate the feast after the ‘fama’ and the novenas. As the devotion continued with deep sincerity, on August 31, 1880, under the chairmanship of Aleixo Piedade Pereira, it was decided to build a small chapel. Later, Alexio, a staunch devotee of Our Lady of Lourdes, placed a statue in the chapel.
As the devotion grew, a bigger chapel had to be built. Aleixo, along with his brother Pe. João Jose, used their own funds along with contributions from the villagers and other financial help. Angelina Pereira offered the additional land. It wasn’t an easy task but the villagers were firm.
After the construction was completed the first chaplain was Pe. João José Pereira. As a token of respect and gratitude towards Aleixo Piedade, the committee decided to dedicate a mass for the goodness and welfare of his family and future descendants every year on August 15, the Feast of Our Lady of Assumption (Assunção da Nossa Senhora). It is for this reason that the subsequent generations acquired the surname, ‘Assunção Pereira’. This continued for many years until the Mass was discontinued somewhere around late 80s/ early 90s.
Fr. Hildo Mascarenhas was the parish priest when the cemetery was constructed for the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes. Previously, parishioners of Utorda were buried in the Majorda cemetery. Francisco Xavier D’Silva, who worked in Africa, sponsored the entire construction and donated his own land.
In 1974, during the tenure of Fr. Joaquim Dias Alberto as parish priest, the movement to elevate the chapel to a church began. It wasn’t an easy task. Fr. Alberto and Amaro de Assuncao Pereira along with Domnic Lacerda, Jaime Carvalho, Carlisto Fernandes and others began canvassing. The youth involved included Agnelo Pereira, Mario Fernandes, Wency Pereira, Trindade Fernandes, Ligorio Azaredo Rocky Noronha, and this writer. They faced a lot of objections from those who wanted to continue under the Majorda Parish. So, a bus full of villagers went to the Bishop’s Palace at Altinho, Panaji, to request the Bishop to do the needful. Eventually by a decree dated February 11, 1976, by the then Archbishop Raul Gonsalves, the Chapel was formally elevated to the status of a Church.
On May, 13 1976, Holy Mass was celebrated to mark the great day. The Archbishop was the main celebrant along with some of the previous chaplains and young priests from Utorda. Jeanne Pereira and Odilia Pereira spoke on behalf of the youth at the function.
In 1977, the new church had to celebrate the Holy Week for first time but Fr. Alberto was a bit apprehensive. Thus, it was decided to invite a priest to help him out. However, no priests or even deacons were available. But then the cloud had a silver lining! Amaro Pereira requested his good friend, Pe. Lucio de Veiga Coutinho who readily agreed to come and help. Pe Lucio at that time was the director of the Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, founder editor of the magazine Renovação and a well-known personality in the Archdiocese of Goa.
This year, on May 13, 2026, the parishioners of Utorda, will be celebrating the 50th year of the elevation of Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel to a Church. It was a grand celebration then and it’s going to be a grand celebration this year too. The present parish priest, Fr. Arvino Fernandes and his committee along with the entire village have chalked out a programme.
As we celebrate the golden jubilee, we are grateful to all those who worked hard for this status.
