St. Anthony's Minor Basilica, Dornahalli
(Diocese of Mysore)
Karnataka - India
History of
St. Anthony's BASILICA, Dornahalli
Around 220 years ago, a farmer while tilling his field, found a wooden statue which was found to have miraculous powers. In the days to come, it was revealed that it was the statue of St. Anthony of Padua. Devotees started visiting this place in large numbers and obtained great favors.
In order to facilitate the devotees to pray and show their reverence to St. Anthony, a small shrine was built in the year 1920, by the Parish priest Rev. Fr. S. D’Silva with the generosity and help of the erstwhile Dewan at the Mysore Palace, Shri Thambu Chetty, and his brother Shri Dharmaraj Chetty…
Most Rev. Dr Francis Serrao S.J.
Bishop of Mysore
A Jesuit shepherd, a life of faith and service
Most Rev. Dr Francis Serrao, a Jesuit, was born on 15 August 1959 in Moodbidri in the Diocese of Mangalore. He entered the Society of Jesus on 3 January 1979 at Mount St. Joseph, Bangalore.
His philosophical and theological studies took place at Jesuit institutions — Satya Nilayam in Chennai and Jnana Deepa Vidya Peetha in Pune — followed by a Licentiate in Theology from Vidya Jyoti College, Delhi.
Biography
He was ordained a priest on 30 April 1992, and made his perpetual profession in the Society of Jesus on 1 May 1999. Over the years, his ministry has spanned pastoral service, social action, academic leadership, and community formation. He began with pastoral ministry in Mundgod in the Diocese of Karwar, before serving in social development work at Loyola Vikas Kendra in Mundgod. He later directed the Regional Theologate in Bangalore, led St. Joseph Church in Anekal as parish priest, served as superior of the Jesuit community in Bejapur, and was rector of St. Aloysius College in Mangalore.
On 19 March 2014, Pope Francis appointed Msgr. Francis Serrao SJ as the Bishop of the Diocese of Shimoga. He was appointed the third Bishop of the Diocese of Shimoga and was ordained Bishop on 7 May 2014 by Archbishop Most Rev. Salvatore Pennacchio, the Apostolic Nuncio of India, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Shimoga. “Service of Faith, Fullness of Life” is the pastoral motto of the Bishop.
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Francis Serrao, SJ (66), as the new Bishop of Mysore. The appointment, announced on 15 August 2025, came while Bishop Serrao was serving as the Bishop of Shimoga in Karnataka and as Chairman of the CCBI Commission for Ecumenism.
His episcopal journey now takes a new turn as he prepares to shepherd the Diocese of Mysore, bringing with him decades of pastoral experience, Jesuit formation, and a deep commitment to ecumenism.
