Media Release
Bahrain, Nov 29: Msgr Baptist Menezes, vicar general of the Udupi diocese and Fr Alban D’souza, parish priest of Stella Maris Church Kalmady, of the Udupi diocese recently addressed a gathering of invitees and parishioners from different parishes belonging to Udupi diocese during their recent visit to Bahrain. The event was held at Papillon Restaurant. The Machado’s Simon and Pressy Machado were instrumental in arranging this get-together.
Fr Alban began the programme with a prayer and then Msgr Baptist Menezes put forth in detail the Pastoral Plan 2025 promulgated by the bishop of the diocese of Udupi and implemented in all parishes of the said diocese since 2015. He also gave a preview on the performance of how the 18 commissions were functioning in the parishes of Udupi diocese for the benefit of all the parishioners. A copy of the report of 18 diocesan commissions for the year 2017 was provided to all the participants for easy reference. Some of these commissions were functioning quite efficiently and enthusiastically and were able and instrumental in getting the benefits available to the Christian minority from the state and central government.
The developmental plans and projects undertaken by the diocese and their progress were presented in detail to the gathering through a PowerPoint. Msgr Baptist Menezes gave reasons for the undue delay in implementing any of the projects for which the foundation stones were blessed on October 15, 2015.
The main aim was to inform the participants about the vision, mission and objectives of the six year old diocese of Udupi after its establishment on October 15, 2012 and to make aware of the developments in and activities of the diocese and its pastoral plans and projects. Msgr Baptist requested the participants to share the progress which the new diocese of Udupi has made year after year since six years and thereby promote the vision and its mission with those especially from the parishes of Udupi diocese working in Bahrain and how these pastoral activities have been effectively carried out through the 18 diocesan commissions with result and action oriented when it came to provide facilities and benefits reserved to the minorities from the government. It was true he said that priests visited them for financial assistance to their own parish plans and projects, but as a matter of fact no one would have spoken about the diocesan pastoral plan and its projects and hence the Bishop of Udupi had requested him to make use of this platform to brief all present about the diocese of Udupi along with Fr Alban D’Souza. Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo’s greetings were also conveyed to all and his appeal to promote the diocesan pastoral plans and projects so that the vision, mission and objectives of the new diocese planned for ten years, from 2015 to 2025 might be carried out effectively with its intended results, aims and objectives to the greater glory of God and to the joy and happiness of the people of God of the diocese of Udupi.
After the PowerPoint presentation there was a brief session on questions and answers.
During this event, a committee was constituted to promote the Pastoral Plan Mission 2025 and to actively collaborate in the mission of the diocese of Udupi. Names were proposed and accordingly Sydney Correa was nominated to be the president of this committee, Simon Machado as the honorary president, Nirmala Fernandes as the secretary and the following were nominated as the members of this committee:
Msgr Baptist Menezes while appreciating this initiative of the formation of a committee in Bahrain to promote the Pastoral Plan Mission 2025 of the diocese of Udupi, thanked all, especially the committee members for their willingness to be the voice of the Udupi diocese in Bahrain and assured them all that this new responsibility would not be a burden heaped upon them over and above the responsibility they have and hold in different capacities as businessmen and women but support the diocese for which clear guidelines would be made available by him in consultation with the bishop of Udupi. He further said that there would not be any rules and regulations binding the committee, but only goodwill and concern toward the Udupi diocese so that it would be able to march forward with its clear vision and mission, plans and projects.
Both Fr Alban and Msgr Baptist thanked all for their presence and participation and appreciated their goodwill and friendly way of interaction, response and understanding. Those who were present also expressed their happiness over the information provided to them about the progress of the Udupi diocese in six years especially through the report of the 18 diocesan commissions for 2017.
Shawn Machado was the master of ceremonies who conducted the programme efficiently.
Dinner followed after the meeting in which all participated with joy and a sense of fellowship, interacting with one another with happiness.