Media Releasae

Manglauru, Jul 30: The newly constructed and serene grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was inaugurated at St Aloysius Institute of Management and IT (AIMIT) here on July 30. The grotto has been donated by philanthropist - Max Rasquinha.

The grotto was blessed by Fr Melwin Pinto SJ, rector of St Aloysius Institutions. In his address he said that the grotto of Mother Mary will be an added attraction to many devotees of Our Lady. “We place on record the generous gift of Mr Max Rasquinha who is a great benefactor of ours. He has contributed so much for AIMIT through his many philanthropic ventures. May Mother Mary bless him abundantly,” he said. Principal Dr Fr Praveen Martis SJ inaugurated the edifice by switching on the fountain and lights of the grotto. The grotto has been constructed by Walter Pinto who has constructed over 1500 such grottos all over India.

Earlier, the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola was celebrated with a concelebrated Holy Eucharist. In his homily, principal Fr Martis enumerated how St Ignatius can be a motivating factor for humanity. “St Ignatius wanted to be a noble warrior. But, he became a warrior for Christ. His relentless search to find God’s will and commitment to humanity make him immortal,” he said.

In his message to the staff of the institute, rector Fr Melwin Pinto SJ highlighted the two important qualities of St Ignatius which, among other aspects, make him relevant today. “St Ignatius was a discerning person. This discernment is important for all of us today in making small and big decisions in life. Secondly, the concept of Magis which means ‘more’ or doing every task to the best of our ability is very relevant even today. We must always strive to give our best in everything that we do,” Fr Pinto added.

Santhosh Rebello from the IT department gave the introduction for the mass highlighting the significance of the feast of St Ignatius giving highlights of his life.