Mangalore: Small Christian Community celebrates 25 fruitful years
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)
Mangalore, May 16: The Small Christian Community (SCC) of Mangalore Diocese celebrated its silver jubilee at St Sebastian Church, Bendore here on Thursday May 16.
The celebration began with the Eucharistic mass offered by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore. Fr Denis Moras Prabhu, vicar general, Fr Herald Pereira, Fr Antony Serrao, parish priest of Bendore church, Fr Walter D’Souza, director of SCC were the concelebrants.
The mass was followed by a formal stage programme at St Sebastian jubilee hall where Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza presided while Fr Denis Moras Prabhu, J R Lobo, newly-elected MLA, Fr Vijay Thomas, national secretary of SCC, Fr Alphonse D’lima, Fr Heral Pereira, Fr Walter D’Souza, Robert D’Souza, diocese secretary of SCC, and Sr Mabel shared the dais.
On the occasion, vicar general Fr Denis Moras Prabhu released a sovenir published by SCC on the occasion of completing 25 years. Bishop D’Souza along with other dignitaries felicitated J R Lobo for winning the recent Assembly elections.
Acknowledging the honour, J R Lobo thanked the bishop for honoring him and inviting to the programme. "I am able to stand before you as an MLA because of you and mainly the Catholic community. Along with Catholics, people of other communities have also supported me a lot, including around 50% of the Hindus who voted for me," said the MLA.
"It is not only the responsibility of the priest to spread god’s message, we are also Christ’s missionaries and are also equally responsible. People should live with unity. SCC has done excellent job in all the parishes and people have received various benefits through it," Lobo added.
"After getting elected as an MLA, my responsibility has increased. I urge people to support me in doing good work in the next five 5 years," he said.
In his presidential address, the bishop expressed congratulated SCC on completing 25 years. "A large number of people from around 161 parishes in Udupi and Mangalore diocese are present today to witness this programme, which shows the unity among us. The credit for this goes to SCC," he said.
"God in his message asked us to live with unity and that message is spread by SCC through its work. The Mangalore Diocese has grown mainly because of SCC," he lauded.
"Through SCC, we have improved in liturgy, fostered unity among people, enhanced faith, and increased concern towards the poor," said Dr Aloysius, lauding the present and past directors of SCC.
On the occasion, Bishop Dr Aloysius also released an audio CD by Fr Walter D’Souza based on SCC.
In recognition of their tremendous service towards SCC's growth over the last 25 years, the bishop honored Fr Gilbert D’Souza, Fr Alphonse D’lima, Fr Herald Pereira, Fr Walter D’Souza, Sr Lydia Serrao, Sr Usha, LJ Fernandes, Robert D’Souza and Helen Frank.