St Gerard Majella’s Feast Observed at Father Muller’s
Mangaluru: Father Muller Medical College Hospital (FMMCH), in coordination with the doctors, nurses and staff of the OBG department organized a programme on the occasion of St. Gerard Majella’s feast on 16th of October 2019 at 9:30 am at Hospital Conference Hall. Dr Gayatri Ramani was the chief guest and Fr Rudolf Ravi D’Sa Administrator of FMMCH presided over the function.
The observance of the day was led by a prayer service to the Almighty in Thanking Him for the gift of children and the safe delivery by mothers. The prayer of the faithful and the verse from the Bible was read by expectant mothers.
Dr Nagarathna HOD, Department of OBG extended a warm welcome to the gathering and gave a brief introduction of the chief guest.
Dr Gayatri Ramani, was the former HOD and practicing OBG at the Father Muller Medical Hospital between 1974-1995. The chief guest addressed the gathering by sharing her experiences at FMCI regarding yesteryears’ difficulties in carrying our deliveries without the modern-day equipment. She reminisced of the days when the maternity ward was at the tail end of the campus with a beautiful garden in between and in the corner of the ward was the statue of St Gerard. At times of distress and in a complicated case she would go there and pray. To her surprise, the delivery would be normal and the child would be fine. After the years of service, she went to the USA to be with her son and daughter-in-law. Even after 8 years, she was unable to conceive. Her thought one day brought her to remember St Gerard and hence she told her daughter-in-law to come and place a flower with devotion to the saint. Then behold coincidentally, at the next festal day of the saint her granddaughter was born. She maintained that there is a universal energy that we need to tap in. The saints and gurus have tapped the energy and hence they radiate the work of God. The role of Spirituality plays an important role in everyone and that, even though in her time there was a lack of technology there was teamwork.
Fr Rudolph Ravi D’Sa in his presidential address took the gathering to the days of the grandmother who was the village midwife. She used to pray every day that the deliveries she handles go well and she did not have any deaths. He hence reinforced the statement of Dr Ramani, that there is a need to have a spiritual connection in our work and not only the latest of technology. He thanked Dr Ramani for her efforts in sponsoring every year the St Gerard festivities at FMMCH and prayed that for the coming many more years she be the chief guest.
The students of the 3rd year GNM programme performed a role play on the life of St.Gerald Majella with the guidance of the OBG department faculty. The programme ended at 10:30 am with the vote of thanks by Renita Lasrado, Assistant nursing superintendent (ANS).
In attendance were Fr Ajith Menezes, Administrator, FMMC, Fr Nelson Pais, Asst Administrator, FMMCH, Fr Felix and Fr George, Chaplains of FMMCH, Sr Jacintha D’Souza Principal, FMCON, Dr Sanjeev Rai, Chief of Research, Dr Kelvin Pais, Liaison Officer, FMCI, the faculty of dept of OBG, Pediatrics, patients of the OBG wards and well-wishers.
