My dear Bondel Parishioners, devotees of St Lawrence and well-wishers of our
shrine.
Greetings to you from Rev Fr Basil Vas the new Parish Priest. I have taken
my charge as Parish Priest on 24/05/2026 of this St Lawrence Parish Bondel. Since
then I was the Parish Priest Sacred Heart of Jesus of Vorkady.Ordained as a Catholic priest on April 16, 1985, Rev. Fr. Basil Vas has spent decades blending deep spiritual renewal with transformative community development. Known for his incredible selflessness, like selling his own car to fund a housing project for the poor and his heroic bravery in saving a young boy from drowning, his ministry has left an indelible mark across Karnataka and Kerala.
Here is a look at his remarkable contributions across the individual parishes he has served:
⛪ Assistant Parish Priest & Early Ministry (1985–1991)
• Kallianpur Milagres & Madanthyar: Began his pastoral journey serving as Assistant Parish Priest (1985–1988).
• DBCLC, Mangala Jyothi: Served as the Assistant Director from 1988 to 1991.
⛪ Panja (1991–1997)
• Supervised the construction of a new presbytery and a community hall named Sneha Sadana, built with the cooperation of people from all faiths.
• Secured property rights for nine Koraga Christian families and helped build houses for them.
• Organized agro-based training programs to empower rural communities.
⛪ Pakshikere (1997–2004)
• Revitalized the St. Jude Novena and Deliverance Ministry.
• Overseered the construction of a new parochial house, a Marian grotto, and a unique St. Jude Shrine inspired by the Eiffel Tower design, featuring an underground adoration chapel.
• Constructed a new school building for St. Jude School and a protective compound wall.
• Renovated the parish hall and water tank, developed a new water source, and regularized three additional acres of land for the church.
⛪ Bela (2004–2010)
• Built a 300-meter underground meditation tunnel (Dhyana Guhe) and secured land for the Kalathur Chapel.
• Inaugurated the Mother of Sorrows Shrine and successfully got the church included on Kerala’s official tourism map.
• Established Thursday healing prayers (attending 4,000–5,000 devotees with free meals) and introduced Friday adoration services.
• Founded St. Mary’s High School, built a massive playground, constructed a hostel for 60 students, and built Yathri Hall.
• Promoted Kannada literary activities by organizing a Kerala state-level Sahithya Sammelana.
His monumental work here as Vicar Vara (Dean) of the Kasaragod Deanery earned him a major civic felicitation attended by state ministers and the publication of his commemorative book, Vardhamana.
⛪ Alangar (2010–2017)
• Initiated the Friday Novena at the Infant Jesus Grotto, bringing in thousands of devotees, and introduced midday meals for devotees and school students.
• Constructed a two-storey building for St. Thomas English Medium School, added five new school buses, and developed an open stage and playground.
• Constructed a new presbytery, an open steel-roofed hall, campus compound walls, and completely renovated the cemetery.
• Established the Fr. Corrie Museum and installed a sacred relic of Pope John Paul II.
⛪ Madanthyar (2017–2023)
• Championed the Jubilee Housing Project for poor families, fully funding it in part by selling his personal Swift car.
• Expanded the Sacred Heart English Medium School, built an indoor stadium, added a children’s park, and upgraded computer and science labs.
• Built a 300-meter prayer and meditation tunnel, a Sacred Heart Shrine, and expanded the church commercial complex.
• Led the community through the COVID-19 pandemic by converting the college campus into a quarantine facility and mobilizing ICYM youth volunteers.
• Installed a first-class relic of Saint Faustina Kowalska brought from Poland.
⛪ Vorkady (2023–2026)
• Successfully resolved and withdrew long-pending criminal cases dating back to the 1990s through dedicated reconciliation efforts.
• Completed 11 new houses and 7 house repairs for underprivileged families.
• Constructed a new six-room school building, a new stage, an entrance arch (Pravesh Dwara), and upgraded the church grounds with interlocking tiles.
• Secured over 3 acres of gifted land for church development and Fire safety NOC to get church registered in local panchayat.
• Organized massive spiritual retreats and programs like Divine Rhythms, attracting over 3,000 people.
From building schools and homes to fostering interfaith harmony and spiritual healing, Fr. Basil Vas’s life remains an incredible blueprint of compassionate service.
We look forward to growing under your spiritual guidance, Fr. Basil. May your tenure among us be filled with abundant blessings, joy, and fruitful milestones