The original Urwa church was situated at Derebail.  It is said the Catholics were caught during a Sunday Mass here and led into the captivity to Srirangapattana.  The church was completely destroyed and all records burnt and their families got scattered.   After the death of Tippu Sultan many captives returned but found all their lands were occupied by others and they took to agriculture, cultivation and fishing.  In 1864, Fr Lawrence D’Souza lived in a hut and offered Mass in a small building.  The people united together and built a small chapel near the present church.  It was served from the Cathedral.  In 1865, Fr Emmanuel Salvadore Vas was put in charge of the chapel.  Urwa was formed into a parish in 1886 with Fr Salvadore Vas as the first parish priest.  Rt Rev. Michael Antony ocd, the Vicar Apostolic, paid the first pastoral visit on May 5, 1870. 

In 1889, Fr Balthazar Rebello received Rs 1,000 from the Bishop and some loan from Mr B S Saldanha of Bolar Coffee Works and the local Catholics bought the present site.  Fr J.B. Rossi, the Vicar General, laid the foundation stone for the present church on October 7, 1890.  To construct church building, Fr. Rebello sold his ancestoral property.  By facing great difficulties and with his sustained hard work of  three years, the Urwa church was blessed and inaugurated in 1893.   In 1893  Fr Camillus Rego added the portico in 1901.   Fr A.J. D’Souza (1915-1930) started the devotion to the Pompei Our Lady of Pompei and altar was declared a privileged altar by Pope Pius on December 6, 1904.  He also started  a monthly magazine, The Trumpet Call.

Fr T.A Lobo (1951-1971) added new wings to the church.  The entire western wing of the church building was donated by Mr G.A. Rodrigues.  He built the Centenary Hall in 1964.  Fr Valerian D’Souza (1971-1978) constructed an open air stage, built the belfry.  Fr John D’Souza constructed the present new church building and it was inaugurated on May 1, 1991. 

Pompei Shade Flats; were constructed by Fr F.P.S. Moniz.  Chev. Casimir Pinto paid for the first floor of the school.  

Mr H.E.W. Fernandes donated the high school building.  Fr Valerian D’Souza started an English Medium Nursery School.