Senior Priest of Mangalore Diocese Fr Mark Valder passes away at 87
Mangaluru: The Mangalore community mourns the loss of Fr Mark Valder, a revered figure known for his significant contributions to Konkani literature and his dedicated service to the church.
Fr Valder, aged 87, passed away in his old age due to a massive heart attack on the evening of March 7, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. He was residing at St Zuze Vaz Home, Jeppu, Mangaluru. Off recently, he was hospitalized at Father Muller Hospital, Kankanaday, Mangaluru, where he breathed his last.
Born on October 22, 1936, in Permude, Fr Mark Valder was ordained as a priest for the diocese of Mangalore on February 2, 1966. Throughout his life, he served the community with unwavering dedication. He held various roles within the church, including serving as an assistant parish priest at Barkur, Cascia, and Shirva, as well as serving as the editor of the Konkani weekly Raknno from 1973 to 1985.
Fr Valder’s passion for journalism led him to pursue a diploma course at Mysore University and a certificate course at St Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Mumbai, while working as the editor of Raknno. He also served as a parish priest in Ammembal, Thannirbavi, Siddakatte, and Gantalkatte, leaving a lasting impact on those he served. Following his tenure as a chaplain at Mount Rosary Institutions, Alangar, where he served for 8 years, Fr Valder retired from active ministry and resided at St Zuze Vaz Home, Jeppu, Mangalore.
His contributions to Konkani literature are immense, including writing and publishing works such as ‘Bhagavan Yesu Christa’, a biography of Jesus Christ, and editing various collections and novels by renowned Konkani writers. ‘Prema Matthu Jeevana’ Moral Science booklet for teenagers in 1968. He edited a Book ‘Amar Konkani’ by name which contains essays on Konkani folklore, Mangalore and Goan history of Konkani literature, short stories etc. He also edited the ‘Bori Bhalaiki’ (Good Health) collection of essays on health topics and the ‘Suvartha Prasar’ collection of historical essays on Christian Missions of Mangalore Diocese. He also edited and published several Konkani Novels by famous Konkani Novelists such as V J P Saldanha, A T Lobo, J S Alvares, Edwin J F D’Souza, Jerry Kulshekar etc.
Fr Mark Valder’s Funeral Mass and Burial Service will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in St Vincent Ferrer Church Hall, Valencia. His memory will forever be cherished by those whose lives he touched through his kindness, dedication, and literary contributions.
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