‘Catholic Sabha Members must know they are destined for greatness in society, let your potential haunt you to succeed to be different…’ – Fr Denis D’Sa
Annual General Body Meeting & ‘Catholic Sabah Day’ at Mount Rosary Church on Sunday, 28th April 2024.
28th April 2024 was exceptionally occupied with full of activities for all the members of the Catholic Sabha in the Districts of DK and Udupi, as it celebrated CS Day in almost all the parishes. Mount Rosary Unit Santhekatte – Kallianpur too offered a thanksgiving Holy Mass at 8:00 am in the Church, led by Parish Priest Rev Dr Roque D’Souza, and the official celebration was held in the adjacent Mini Hall at 9:15 am.
Soon after the Holy Mass all members were assembled in the adjacent Mini hall for a sumptuous breakfast with the few Office bearers of the Parish Pastoral Council, most of the Gurkars of 18 wards, a few Presidents and leaders of all pious organisations of the church, especially former Presidents and well-wishers of the CS.
Mrs Margaret D’Souza, Asst Treasurer, took charge of leading the proceedings with the prayers, readings, and reflections. President Mrs Rosy Quadros warmly welcomed the Parish Priest and Spiritual Director Rev Dr Roque D’Souza, Chief Guest Rev Fr Denis D’Sa, a Rosarian by birth and Parish Priest of St Ann’s Church, Thottam, Mrs Daisy Mendonca Co-ordinator of 20 Ayogs of the Parish Pastoral Council with others, were escorted to the dais and recognised their presence with the offering of fresh roses as a mark of our respect.
Secretary of the previous year 2023-24 Mr George D’Souza read out the crispy report of the previous AGM while, Mrs Pramila D’Souza, Joint Secretary of the Unit presented the elaborate Annual Report for the period 1st April 2023 till 31st March 2024, highlighting various activities, programmes. Mr Tolbert D’Souza, the Treasurer tabled the financial status of the Unit, with Receipts and Payments Account for the previous year ended on 31-03-24.
Newly elected Office Bearers led by Mr Elias D’Souza, as the new President, a dynamic community leader, and engineer by profession, his new team symbolically took charge from the outgoing team.
It is/has always remained a unique feature of the Catholic Sabha Mount Rosary unit that, its past Presidents and office bearers always remained united, supportive, and spontaneous to all its needs and programmes monetarily and otherwise, and were greeted and honoured with the draping of the traditional shawl and with fresh roses from the Chief Guest Rev Fr Denis DSa, as President Designate Mr Archibald Furtado gave a brief of their contribution…
‘Your role and responsibility are much bigger, in contemporary society…. please don’t restrict yourselves to some traditional, regular, or routine programmes….set new goals and challenges, and lay leadership in Catholic Sabha must be visible and effective in line with Christ’s preaching’s….’ Rev Fr Denis D’Sa the Chief Guest, stressed in his message. While congratulating the new President Mr D’Souza he insisted that the Mount Rosary CS Unit set a new trend and be an example to imitate….. ‘Excuses will always be there for you, opportunities won’t…get used to being uncomfortable as it is a part of the journey towards greatness…’ – the speech was a real treat for listeners, which made them carry home and introspect.
In his reply, the newly elected President thanked Fr D’Sa and declared his and his team’s tenure at the helm will herald a new era of a different approach with many short and long-term plans and projects focusing on youngsters in CS. He also sought support for two proposed Funds – ‘Medical and Higher Education’.
All Gurkars present were thanked for their support and co-operation in reaching the last, lost, and least in the society while President Designate Mr Archibald Furtado invited them to receive roses from the hands of Parish Priest who were draped with a traditional shawl, as token of our appreciation and gratefulness to implement CS programmes around the year and for being a useful link at the grass-root ward level.
As a mark of respect, newly elected Deanery President Mrs Rosy Quadrus was felicitated with a bouquet and draping of the shawl. In her acknowledgment, she thanked everyone for their support, contribution, and encouragement and assured her cooperation to the new team of CS, which is expected to continue yeomen service in the Church and society with enthusiasm and renewed spirits.
Mrs Margaret DSouza took the occasion to acknowledge the gracious presence and cooperation of various pious organisations of the parish and their Presidents present, the ICYM, Sthree Sangatan, SVP, Terciaries, and other representatives and were presented with roses in recognition of their solidarity and helpfulness in the past from Parish Priest and CS President.
Rev Dr Roque DSouza, the Vicar in his address extended compliments and best wishes to the newly elected President Mr Elias D’Souza, and his team, who took charge a short while ago and assured all cooperation during their tenure. While referring to the Chief Guest’s message, Vicar endorsed his suggestions and it’s time to tow an expanded positive line of approach in the service of society at large. He thanked the retiring team for their service to the parish in general and deserving cases in particular.
Mrs Maria Wilma Rego the new General Secretary of the Unit proposed the vote of thanks to everyone and solicited the same support to the Catholic Sabah unit in the coming days.
In short, about 43 years ago on 29th April 1979, the solid foundation was laid at Don Bosco Hall, Udupi by the then Bishop of Mangalore, Rt Rev. Dr. Basil S. DSouza during the august presence of about 180 representatives coming from almost 80 plus parishes of the time and Mr Oscar Fernandes then sitting MP of Udupi Lok Sabah, as its founder President, Prof Alban Rodrigues as Secretary.
Since then no looking back and in Udupi with the birth of the new Diocese, in 2013, a regional-level Catholic Sabha was constituted in line with the original one. It is a federation of members enrolled at the Parish level units around 1116 in MRC alone, governed by democratically elected office bearers, and these office bearers forming Deanery level organizations and again the leaders elected over here from five varado’s forming the Diocesan or Regional set up with the governing body chosen to lead the platform in the light of well written guiding principles of Memorandum of Association and articles. Yet again it’s a proud moment for parishioners, a fellow Rosarian Mr Santhosh Cornelio elected as Diocesan President 2023-24 and re-elected for one more term in 2024-25. Mrs Rosy Quadrus who served in Mount Rosary Unit as President for two consecutive terms 2022-24, now leads the Kallianpur Deanery being at the helm of affairs.
In brief, the ‘Catholic Sabah Mount Rosary Church unit was established on 17th September 1989, with Victor M D’Souza being its President and Rev Fr Victor Saldanha as its spiritual director. Today it is CS’s 35th year of perennial succession in the parish leaving its permanent imprints and contribution in the social, political, cultural, and religious life of the parishioners and a name of recognition in the locality.
In the end, it was a well-organized and meaningful celebration to thank Almighty Lord, the people who supported and involved, and to rededicate its services for the general welfare of the community at large consolidating various talents and resources.
