top of page
About Bela church
Our Lady of Dolours Church, Bela, is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the Kasaragod region and belongs to the Diocese of Mangalore. The parish was established in 1880 after being separated from the Ullal parish. The first parish priest was Rev. Fr. Pascal Mascarenhas.
The earliest church was located at Kudrepady, where Konkani Catholic families who had migrated from Goa built a small thatched church to meet their spiritual needs. Later, for the convenience of the faithful, the church was shifted to the present location at Bela in 1880.
The second parish priest, Rev. Fr. John D’Souza, selected the present elevated site and constructed a beautiful church. This church was blessed on 10 January 1892 by Bishop Pagani, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Mangalore. The statue of Our Lady of Dolours (Mother of Sorrows) was solemnly brought from Kudrepady to the new church.
Over the years, several parish priests contributed to the growth of the parish. The church and its surroundings were expanded and renovated, and the parish became a vibrant center of faith for Konkani-speaking Catholics in the region.
To accommodate the growing number of faithful, a new church building was constructed under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Matthew Vas. The new church was blessed on 22 November 2001 and can accommodate around 1,000 worshippers.
Today, Our Lady of Dolours Church, Bela, serves nearly 2,400 Catholics from about 479 families and continues to be a prominent center of worship, education, and community service in the region.
bottom of page