Senior priest of the Diocese of Mangalore, Fr Victor Machado, passed away on Monday, August 17, at the St Zuze Vaz Home in Jeppu. He was 81.
Fr Machado, who hailed from Bantwal, was ordained a priest on October 16, 1969. During more than five decades of dedicated priestly ministry, he served the Diocese of Mangalore in several pastoral, academic and administrative roles, leaving a lasting impression on parishioners and students.
A priest devoted to pastoral and academic ministry
Fr Machado began his priestly ministry as assistant parish priest at Cordel, where he served from 1970 to 1973. He then joined St Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary, Jeppu, as a teacher from 1973 to 1977.
Between 1977 and 1981, he pursued higher studies in Rome. On his return, he resumed teaching at St Joseph Seminary and served as a professor until 1990.
He later served as parish priest of the Cathedral from 1990 to 1997 before returning to the seminary as a teacher from 1997 to 2000.
Leadership and service across the diocese
Fr Machado served as parochial administrator of Jeppu Church from 2000 to 2004 and later became rector of St Joseph Seminary, a position he held from 2004 to 2010.
He subsequently served as parish priest at Bejai from 2010 to 2014 and as director of the Pastoral Institute from 2014 to 2015. He returned to Cordel as parish priest in 2015 and continued there until 2021.
Since 2021, he had served as chaplain at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Maroli. He spent his final days at St Zuze Vaz Home in Jeppu.
Funeral Mass on August 18
The Diocese of Mangalore has expressed deep gratitude for Fr Machado’s long and dedicated priestly ministry.
His funeral Mass and burial rites will be held on Tuesday, August 18, at 3.30 pm at St Vincent Ferrer Church, Valencia.