New Parish and Assistant Parish Priests in Cortalim Church 2019
Cortalim Church-St Philip and St James the Apostles is popular among Goan Churches and is called the ‘Santo Filipe e Tiago Igreja em Cortalim, Goa’ in Portuguese. The Cortalim Church was built around 1566 on the ground donated by the gaunkars. This land was given to the Jesuit college of St Paul and the Church built here was dedicated to the Apostles St Philip and St James. A chapel situated near the church marks the place where the first Jesuits entered Salcete. They celebrated a mass to signify the event on May 1, 1560. This historical Church will get a new Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Pio Salvador Almeida this Pastoral year according to Ordinance no CP-P/31/2019.
Fr Pio was born on 5th May 1969. He was ordinated into Priesthood on 5th May 1998 on his 29th Birthday. Prior to Joining the Cortalim Church he was the Parish Priest of Arambol Church Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He will take charge of over 7,000 Catholic Parishoners in the Parish.
Also Rev. Fr. Mariano Joseph Dias has been appointed as the Assistant to the Parish Priest of the Parish this coming Pastoral year according to Ordinance no. CP-P/80/2019 Fr. Mariano was born in Navelim on 11th September 1976 and was ordinated a Priest in 2006.