Former Bishop of Karwar William D'Mello Passes Away at 82
(July 19, 2011): Former Bishop of Karwar William D'Mello passed away on July 19 at
Fr Muller Medical College Hospital in Mangalore. He was 82. Bishop D’Mello was the
first bishop of Karwar. Derek Fernandes, Bishop of Karwar, Sr Rosa SCB, Sr Annie SCB
who had looked after his health for the past many years, and a few priests and others
were at his side during his last moments. Bishop William, as the first Bishop of Karwar,
had laboured relentlessly for the newly established diocese comprising of the civil
district of Uttara Kannada. Besides giving an identity to the Catholic Christian Community
of the diocese, during his 30 years of tenure, strived for their all-round development
in the spiritual, social, educational and economical spheres. His concern and
service extended to all people without consideration of caste and creed. Though he
was very busy with the diocesan responsibilities, he regularly visited his flock in
the evenings. He had time for all those who were with him or worked with him - his
Assistants, Regents, Deacons and the Seminarians. He was ordained a Bishop in
1977. One of his outstanding achievements in the Diocese was the promotion of the
Family Apostolate. His vision of ‘loving, serving, praying and witnessing family’
was given a concrete shape by the Family Commission under his able guidance. Its activities
and programmes have been highly appreciated by the other Dioceses in the region.