St. Francis Xavier Church, Mangalore

The church was built in 1869 on a plot of land measuring 5.37 acres at Bejai, which was obtained from the British government on 21 November 1869.

The construction of the chapel in Bejai was organised to reduce the inconvenience to Mangalorean Catholic residents of that area, who otherwise would have to travel a large distance to attend Mass.

In 1963, a girls high school was opened by the Ursuline Franciscan sisters with the assistance of the very Rev.

Bernard L. D'Souza came to Bejai church as a parish priest in 1995, and soon commenced developmental activities.

Bernard was the Bejai Church Commercial Complex in 1998, which has become a hub of economic activity in the area.

Joseph Peter Tauro was appointed parish priest of Bejai and manager of Lourdes Central School.