Thank You Poorvika Mobile Co for the Nice Christ Frame Given near Milagres Church Gate?
Thank You Poorvika Mobiles Pvt Ltd Co, with its authorized dealer in City Centre Mall, Mangaluru for the Beautiful Christ Frame Given at Milagres Church Gate, after the 8.15 am Sunday Mass, on 25 November 2018?. But this offer from the Mobile Company has fumed a few Catholic Faithful, saying that it was wrong on their part to add the religious item as a promotional gimmick. A totally nonsense allegation!
Mangaluru: Believe It or Not- this is one of the most stupidity and nonsense controversy that has been created by a few Sunday Church going Faithful, on a silly issue, where a Mobile company through its local authorized dealer in Mangaluru had in a white envelop, comprising of their products/business pamphlet and a frame of Jesus Christ (separately with a mobile company’s sticker), and these bunch of Catholic faithful have made a big issue of it-which is TOTALLY BALONEY?
Here is the actual story- like every Sunday, I go for the 8.15 an English mass at Milagres Church, Hampankatta, Mangaluru. Last Sunday, 25 November after the English mass, which around 9.15 am, there were a bunch of guys from a local Poorvika Mobile Company distributing pretty good size white envelopes, which when opened had their business products/address pamphlet, and also a nice frame of Jesus Christ. Since I liked the frame, I asked the young man for one more- and he happily gave me one. Now I have these two beautiful frames of Jesus Christ, one sitting on my computer desk, and the other on the shelf.
But to my surprise, I received a call from my friend this morning explaining about the controversy that has been created after the mobile company had distributed handbills/frame of Jesus Christ in a envelope on Sunday morning- and I told my friend that I got two such envelops. But both my envelopes were missing photos of the Holy Family but had only Jesus Christ frames. But why are some of these faithful making a big deal of it. These religious items were separate from the product publicity materials-they were just added gifts from a Hindu mobile store dealer to the Christian Brethren- and with no other intention. If we Catholics have a different opinion, why even have those Inter-faith get-togethers or “Souhardha” as they call by the Church organizations.
It is learnt that apart from the guys from the mobile store, there were other two groups also distributing handbills- one being an NGO spreading the word about the Mobile Christmas Show; and the other a private shop dealing with home products/Christmas items, owned by a Catholic. But the Catholic faithful had no problem raising their voices against these two but were fumed at the mobile company folks for inserting religious items free in the envelopes. Were the allegations raised because “Poorvika” happens to a non-Catholic name or just because a mobile shop owner from the Catholic community had made a big issue?
If that’s the case- how about in the past, a business owned by Catholics during Christmas time had distributed calendars/keychains/ pocket diaries etc with Christian images on them. I guess its okay with the Catholic faithful when Catholics promote their Dookra Mass House or Catering or Home Products, Matrimonial etc businesses incorporated with religious figures. Bah humbug! Team Mangalorean contacted Poorvika Mobile Shop in City Centre Mall, and a very polite and courteous Vinod, the Manager who was unaware of this issue until now, after Team Mangalorean explained to him the situation, he said-
“Sir, we got an order from our head office in Bengaluru to do the promotion like we did on Sunday- and our company had no such controversial issues on the same kind of promotions that our company had done in Bengaluru and other cities. I am surprised to hear about it here in Mangaluru. Our store owner is a very nice person and treats every religion equally. We have distributed religious materials along with our promotional matter at other feasts/occasions of other faith- but no problem at all. Our intention is not to create any trouble with religion, it is just our courtesy to show during special occasions, of different faiths”
Well said the Mobile shop manager – hope this will clear a little bit of a doubt that few of these people who have made allegations, and who are also trying to sue the mobile company. What a joke? There are Hindu God’s on atom Bombs, and other fireworks- no Hindu persons have raised any objections to that. We should be happy that a Hindu Mobile Shop Owner is giving a nice frame of Jesus Christ- and NOT A HINDU GOD? If he did that, then it would be wrong on his part-trying to promote his business along with Hindu Gods. So all these allegations raised on this simple issue is useless and nonsense, only putting a shame on a few Catholics.
And few community leaders urging the members of the Community not to patronize Poorvika shop is not a good sign during the time when Christmas time is approaching when we are all talking about Love, Peace, and Friendship”- and now we are spitting out the venom of hate against others. Instead of dragging this silly issue further, as dignified and God-fearing Catholics let us end this issue peacefully and compromise with Poorvika- problem Katham?
