Mangalore :  Fr Joseph Peter Tauro(74), a priest of Mangalore Diocese who expired recently following a cardiac failure was laid to rest at the St Vincent Ferrar Church, Valencia on February 12, Tuesday. A large gathering of mourners were present at the church premises. laity.

Mangalore Bishop Rev. Dr  Aloysius Paul D’Souza, celebrated the funeral mass. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi Diocese and Fr Denis Moras Prabhu, Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese were the concelebrants.

Fr Victor Machado, Parish Priest of Bejai Church, Bendore, delivered the homily and recalled the services of Fr Tauro.

  Fr Patrick Rodrigues, Director of FMMI, Fr William Menezes, PRO of Mangalore Diocese, Fr Francis Gomes, Fr Francis Rodrigues, Fr Vijay Victor Lobo, Fr Maxim Noronha, Fr Henry Sequeira, Fr Valerian D’SouzaFr Joseph Rego, Director of St Joseph Engineering College, Fr Joseph Martis, Rector of St Joseph Seminary were present.

Late Dr JP Tauro  who hailed from Gurupur was  ordained a priest of the Diocese of Mangalore on December, 1964. He had his priestly studies at St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore. Fr Tauro had served as a  priest for the last 48 years and was  assistant parish priest of Karkala, Attur and Valencia parishes, Chaplain of Mukka Parish and as Parish Priest of Udupi, Pangala Bendur and Bejai parishes.

He had played a very important role in setting up of Udupi church and priests’ residences in Mukka, Pangala, Udupi, Bendur and Bejai parishes.  After retiring from priestly services 2010, he  was serving the Little Sisters of the Poor at Bajjodi for a year  and had later moved to Vianney Home, Kankanady following health complications.