Basil Salvadore D'Souza facts for kids

Basil Salvadore D'Souza (born May 23, 1926 – died September 5, 1996) was an important leader in the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Bishop of the Mangalore Diocese for a very long time, from 1965 until his death in 1996. He was the longest-serving bishop in the history of that diocese.

Early Life and Priesthood

Basil Salvadore D'Souza was born on May 23, 1926, in a place called Bondel, which is in Mangalore, India. He was the oldest of seven children. His family was not wealthy and earned money by growing betel leaves.

He decided to become a priest and was ordained on March 25, 1952. Before becoming a bishop, he worked as the manager of the Catholic Board of Education. He also helped at the Kodialbail Press.

Becoming Bishop of Mangalore

D'Souza was chosen to be the Bishop of Mangalore Diocese on March 22, 1965. He officially became a bishop on May 11, 1965. This ceremony was led by Archbishop James Robert Knox, who was the Pope's special representative (called a papal nuncio) in India.

He stayed in this important role until he passed away. This made him the longest-serving bishop in the history of the Mangalore Diocese.

Changes in the Church

Bishop D'Souza was one of the few people who took part in the final meetings of the Second Vatican Council. This was a very important series of meetings for the Catholic Church that happened from 1962 to 1965.

He was a leader in bringing the changes from this council to India. He was the first Indian bishop to fully put the ideas of the Second Vatican Council into practice. For example, he made sure that church services were held in local languages, not just Latin. During his time, the Bible and other church texts were translated into the Konkani language.

Important Events and New Projects

Bishop D'Souza helped organize the visit of Pope John Paul II to Mangalore. This was a big event that happened on February 6, 1986.

During his many years as bishop, he started several new churches, especially in small villages. He also set up new centers to help families. He even started a new mission in a different area called Bidar, in northern Karnataka. This area had very few Christians. He helped this mission grow, and it later became part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gulbarga.

Bishop D'Souza also served as the head of a special commission that helped people decide if they wanted to become priests or nuns. In this role, he founded the National Vocation Centre in Poona. In 1987, he also helped create a special study program about Christianity at Mangalore University.

Death

Bishop Basil Salvadore D'Souza died from a heart attack on September 5, 1996. He was only five years away from his planned retirement. His body was buried at the Rosario Cathedral on September 9, 1996. On November 8, 1996, Aloysius Paul D'Souza became the new Bishop of Mangalore Diocese.