Over the past century, much of the historical record of the Mangalorean Catholic community has quietly been lost. Today, remarkably few records survive to help us understand the lives of Mangalorean Catholics in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

As so many other records disappeared, the Milagres memorial slabs became one of the few surviving historical records of the Mangalorean Catholic community from that period. Together they preserve names, inscriptions, dates, languages, craftsmanship and family connections that, once lost, can never be recreated. Today, the memorial slabs represent not only the families they commemorate, but also the shared heritage of the entire Mangalorean Catholic community.

During the 2022 renovation of Milagres Church, most of these memorial slabs were broken into shards. This campaign is not about reopening that decision or assigning blame. 

Our Request

Thousands of fragments of the Milagres memorial slabs still survive. Community genealogist Dr. Michael Lobo has spent several years painstakingly recovering, cleaning, cataloguing and reconstructing the historic Milagres memorial slabs from thousands of recovered fragments, entirely at his own expense. However, many important pieces — including fragments bearing names, dates and inscriptions — were never recovered and are believed to remain buried where the renovation debris was discarded. 

We respectfully ask Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha to 

-          Authorize the careful excavation and recovery of fragments from the dry well at St. Joseph's Workshop, Jeppu, and any other location where fragments of the Milagres memorial slabs may have been discarded during the 2022 renovation; and

-          Grant Dr. Michael Lobo permission to recover the remaining fragments so that he can continue reconstructing and documenting the historic Milagres memorial slabs as completely as possible.

This request requires no financial contribution from the Diocese. Dr. Michael Lobo has committed to bearing the full cost of the excavation, recovery, transport, preservation and documentation of the recovered fragments. 

Only the Diocese can authorize the recovery of the remaining fragments. By granting this request, the Diocese can ensure that this unique historical record is recovered, reconstructed and documented before more of it is lost forever.

History cannot be rewritten, but it can still be preserved.

Please sign this petition and share it with your family and friends. Together, we can help recover, preserve and document what remains of this irreplaceable part of our community's history before it is lost forever.