Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh holds Annual Meeting and Get-together
Udupi: The Udupi Catholic Diocese Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo said that the Catholic Sabha should carry out activities outside the church compound, mingle with others and thus work toward a harmonious society. “Having a broad mind and being involved in the development of the society with a humane heart is the need of the hour,” said Dr Lobo.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh annual general body meeting and annual get-together at the Milagres tri-centenary Hall, Kallianpur on Sunday, June 24.
Speaking about the Sabha, he said, “Laity organizations like the Catholic Sabha are the strong pillars of the Catholic church. In Udupi Diocese, the Catholic Sabha has taken a prominent role as a laity organization from the past five years. The Diocese has more than. 15,000 Catholic families and the Catholic Sabha has a membership of 13,000 across the diocese, which shows the popularity of the organization. If any organization has a strong membership, such organizations will become the voice of the voiceless.”
The Bishop further said that the Catholic Sabha should work with the focus of preparing successful entrepreneurs and political leaders in the community. He stressed that more Catholics should get into politics, administrative and corporate sectors. “The Catholic Sabha should engage in creating awareness about these issues. We have hundreds of Church-run institutions in the diocese but have failed to take any influential steps. It is a good thing that we have more than 100 gram panchayat members, but in the TP and ZP, there are only 2 or 3 leaders in the political stream. If there is good representation in all these streams, the Catholic community will flourish,” he added.
Talking about the activities of the Sabha, Dr Lobo said, “The Catholic Sabha has been organizing good programmes from the past five years. This organization has been organizing many social and awareness camps on the benefits given to minorities by the government. We had planned to promote at least 25 youth for higher posts in government sectors, but have not succeeded. Until now only four of our youth are preparing for those posts. The Catholic Sabha needs to focus on this issue and encourage the youth of our community in the coming days.”
Former Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh president Elroy Kiran Crasta, who was the chief speaker, said “The Catholic Sabha, since its inception has grown in membership and strength and has been providing several services to the Catholic Community through health cards, helping to avail government facilities and funds as well as scholarships to thousands of students. In the coming days, the Catholic Sabha will exclusively be focusing on promoting Catholic students for higher positions in government sectors.”
Sr. Jacintha Noronha who received the honour of postal stamp by the BJP government of Himachal Pradesh, Merwyn Aranha who received the District Rajyotsava award, the Sandesha award winner Wilson Oliveira and the National Anganwadi Award winner Delphine D’Souza were honored on the occasion.
This year the Francis Danti Memorial Literary Honour was conferred on Alphonse D’Souza Brahmavar by Bishop Dr Gerald Lobo. Catholic Sabha’s new website and telephone directory were unveiled on the occasion. Writer Dr Gerald Pinto’s (Gerry Niddodi) new small storybook was also released on the occasion.
The Varados, units and individuals for selling the maximum number of donation coupons, best active Varado and unit, and those who had actively worked for the promotion of “Amcho Sandesh”, the monthly magazine of Catholic Sabha were felicitated.
Udupi District Nehru Yuvakendra District co-ordinator Wilfred D’Souza, AIUC National President Lancy D’Cunha, State President Walter Cyril Pinto, Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh outgoing President Anil Lobo, Spiritual Director of Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh Fr. Ferdinand Gonsalves, Kallianpur Zone Director Fr Lawrence D’Souza, Mangalore Pradesh Catholic Sabha President Rolfi D’Costa, Secretary Celestin D’Souza, Udupi Pradesh Catholic Sabha outgoing President Valerian Fernandes, Secretary Jacintha Colaco, treasurer Gerald Rodrigues, new president Alvin Quadros, Secretary Maxim D’Souza, treasurer Soloman Alvaris and Kallianpur deanery president Santosh Cornelio were present.
The GM was successful and effective. There was good attendance. All the speakers spoke well and raised points relevant to the society today. Bishop aptly urged the Catholic Sabha to work towards empowering the community to bring it at par with the society in general encouraging the community youth to work in the main stream. I congratulate the office bearers for efficiently organising the event.
However there was a delay because of lengthy introductions and descriptions which could have been avoided enabling the proceedings to end in time.