At the foothills of Carmel in Mangalore lies Bajjodi – once an uninhabited valley until 1978, originally part of St Sebastian Parish, Bendur. It was through the dedicated efforts of the St Vincent de Paul Society that several poor Catholic families were resettled here on land generously donated by St Anthony’s Ashram. This laid the foundation for the growth of a new faith community.For many years, the parish priest and the faithful of Bendur had envisioned the establishment of a parish in Bajjodi. Responding to this vision, the Bishop of Mangalore invited the Carmelites living nearby to serve the pastoral needs of around 320 families and to oversee the construction of a new church. Once completed, this parish was officially entrusted to the Carmelites of the Karnataka-Goa Province, marking the birth of Infant Mary Church, Bajjodi.