BADYAR

CHURCH OF ST RAPHAEL
Badyar, Padangady P. O. – 574 217
via Guruvayanakere
Belthangady Taluk, D.K. District

TELEPHONE  :     30 2122

LOCATION:

The church is situated at a distance of 60 kms from Mangalore, and 7 kms from Belthangady, and is surrounded by Arva, Madanthyar, Belthangady and Venur parishes.

PARISH PRIEST:    Rev. Fr  Valerian Rodrigues
CATHOLIC POPULATION:     Total :  836         Male : 486         Female : 350
CATHOLIC FAMILIES:      130       
PARISH WARDS:       4
 

HISTORY:

In 1922,  Fr Gaviraghi, sj built a small residence, and a  hall  to serve as a chapel under the patronage of St Joachim on  5 acres of land.  When Fr Louis Marcel Pinto was the chaplain, his brother Dr Peter Paul Pinto started dispensing free medical aid to the people in 1927.  In the same year Fr Sebastian Noronha who trained catechists, built the church and dedicated it to St Raphael the Archangel.  Bishop Victor R. Fernandes raised Badyar to the status of a parish in 1937.    Fr Gerald Lobo, the present Bishop of Shimoga had also served this parish as the parish priest and he constructed new buildings for the church and presbytery and the belfry, and opened the Fr L.M. Pinto Hospital.

Fr Louis Marcel Pinto, the first parish priest started St Raphael Higher Primary School in 1929.