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DECEMBER 2013
Sr M Gracy Bennis BS
8. Favours Received 102
INSPIRING SAYINGS OF
THE SERVANT OF GOD
RAYMOND FC MASCARENHAS
Mary is a mother who will never turn her face from us, never
fail to comfort and love us.”
“Faith enables us to see all things in the same light as God views
them.”
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EDITORIAL
Through his new apostolic exhortation ‘The Joy
of the Gospel’, Pope Francis gives us a clarion call for
a joyful proclamation of the Gospel to the entire world.
This document is a great gift of the Holy Father to the
Church as a map and guide for her pastoral mission.
Within a short period of time this exhortation has
created ripples of new fervour and ardour for
evangelisation. His own personal life examples bear testimony to this
concept of evangelisation, new in fervour, ardour and method. Example
is better than precept is an age old dictum. The Church in India has been
privileged to receive the services of numerous foreign missionaries who
have enthused us for a joyous proclamation of the Gospel. Fortunately,
we have begun to recognise the valiant missionaries of India who have
lived a heroic life and who continue to inspire us to be effective
evangelisers. One of them is declared a saint; a few of them blessed and
a good number are Servants of God.
Glancing through the articles in this issue, one can assert that Mgr
Raymond Mascarenhas, a visionary far ahead of his time exemplify in his
life the major dimensions of Pope Francis’ vision of the new evangelization
highlighted in the apostolic exhortation ‘The Joy of the Gospel.’ His was a
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joy that was ever new and shared. This joy sprung from his deep union
with God which did not diminish amidst trials and sufferings. The homilies
of Bishop Aloysius of Mangalore Diocese, delivered on the occasion of the
53rd death anniversary Eucharistic celebration accentuate the fact that
Mgr Raymond’s rootedness in Christ, is the cause of his joy.
Rt Rev Mgr Denis Prabhu reflects on the life of the Servant of God in
the context of the Year of Faith. He spotlights how the Servant of God
grew up in the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and love and alludes to
the dynamism he had to think of new things, reflect over the life of the
Church, the Church in Mangalore in particular. Rev Fr Michael Mascarenhas
SDB paints a vivid picture of Mgr Raymond’s Holy Year Pilgrimage to Holy
Land, Rome and Turin, and visits to the tombs of saints which seemed to
have generated in him a deep desire to have saints from his home town,
Mangalore.
I thank all those who have contributed their articles for this issue
which undoubtedly unravel the hidden treasures of the life and mission of
Monsignor Raymond who inspires all of us to love our Mother Church and
actively participate in her mission of sharing the joy of the Gospel.
Sr Lillis BS
Editor
60
HOMILY PREACHED BY BISHOP ALOYSIUS
PAUL D’SOUZA ON THE 53RD DEATH
ANNIVERSARY OF SD RAYMOND
MASCARENHAS
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The year is 735 B.C. It is time for a decision for Ahaz, the king of
Judah. Ahaz is the legitimate king, but he is weak and lacking in faith.
Assyria is the most powerful of nations at this time. The rulers of Aram
and Israel request Ahaz to join them in an alliance against Assyria. The
prophet Isaiah comes to Ahaz and confronts him with the covenant; Ahaz
must place his trust in the Lord and not in some political alliance with
Assyria. The Lord’s love is everlasting while political power fades. Israel
and Aram will be destroyed; but the Lord will protect Judah. Isaiah tells
Ahaz to ask for a sign to confirm the truth of the prophet’s words. Ahaz
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tries to ignore the issue by saying that it is not right to test the Lord.
Isaiah tells Ahaz he will receive a sign – a virgin will give birth to a son
named Immanuel. This sign means that God is with His people. Hence,
Ahaz must trust in God and not in Assyria or in worldly powers. Political
alliances fail and military powers fade, but the word of the Lord endures
and one can trust in it completely. The Lord never fails!
Mgr Raymond Mascarenhas lived his life as a man in union with God.
His mission flowed from his deep communion with God. Being aware of
the plan of God for him, he went about undisturbed to fulfill it with great
hope and trust in God doing everything to please him. His life was pleasing
to God, a consequence of his deep relationship with God.
His union with God was manifested by his trust in Divine Providence. When
there was lack of funds to pay the dues, he always smiled and said, “We
always draw from our bank in heaven. Our Lord and His Blessed Mother
are very rich and their wealth is ours for the mere asking.” A concrete
example of his trust in Divine Providence was seen in the many works
that he did.
His whole life was a life lived in trusting in the Divine Providence of
God. He recommended a similar attitude to his sisters as well. He told
them, “Everyday give first place in your heart to God. Never act with a
view to please the world or others or the self; act only to please God; if
God is pleased what does the rest matter?” On another occasion he said;
“In doing good never seek applause from the world or from superiors and
companions, but do it solely and exclusively for God.” He would always
insist that even the smallest of things done for the mission must be done
for the love of God.
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advised his spiritual daughters to receive the Holy Communion daily with
great love and devotion to the Lord.
Conclusion
64
A FAITHFUL SERVANT
The Holy Father, Benedict XVI had declared the Year of Faith from
11 of October 2012 to 24th of November 2013. This Year of Faith was to
th
mark two important events in the life of the Church. Pope John XXIII had
been Pope for nearly 90 days when on January 25, 1959, he made the
first and completely unexpected announcement of his plan to convoke the
Church’s II Vatican Ecumenical Council, the first since Vatican I of 1869 to
1870. On 11th of October 1962, after nearly four years of exhaustive
preparation, the Council finally was opened.
In a positive and optimistic speech, the 80 year old Pope John XXIII
gently chided the prophets of doom within the Church and spoke of the
world’s need for the medicine of mercy. Thus in less than nine months
before his death, he set the pastoral tone which was to dominate the
Council deliberations. The first period of those deliberations ended on the
8th of December 1962. Hence after fifty solid years of the Vatican II, former
Pope Benedict XVI declared the Year of Faith to solemnly begin on October
11th 2012. The final session of the Vatican II began on September 14th
1965 and concluded with a Mass in St Peter’s Square on 8th December
1965. During the Council four important Constitutions were proclaimed:
In this context let us look at the life of the Servant of God Mgr RFC
Mascarenhas. When he was baptized, God infused in him His supernatural
virtues of faith, hope and charity. His family having deep roots in Christian
faith helped the child to grow up like a mustard seed (Mt 13:31). The
example of his parents was a guiding light to the growing child. His
ancestral house being close to the Church, both at Shimoga and Milagres,
Mangalore, the Church became their second home. There was an
interaction between the house and the Church. The parents and their
children loved the Church as well as the priests and religious who educated
them as they grew up. This had been a good soil with necessary
components for the seed to grow up. The children found a congenial
atmosphere for Christian faith. Right from the beginning they lived a life
of faith in God, Word of God and the Sacraments.
It was a long ranged project. From its inception the Spirit was guiding
him from step to step. He read the scriptures and made it his own,
especially the teachings of Jesus and St Paul. These were the guiding
lights. In other words, he was under the Lumen Fidei. Having no external
resources he, boldly and relying on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
embarked on a voyage, not knowing for sure whether he would reach the
shores and enjoy the victory. He placed all his present and future in the
hands of God. Never did he think that he would found a Congregation of
Sisters from the local diocese, educate them, form them and make them
stand on their own feet as a Religious Congregation. Neither did he think
that these feeble girls would establish centres of education and govern
them efficiently; never did he think that he would enjoy the fruits of his
faith during his own life time.
Pope Benedict XVI, while declaring the Year of Faith, gave a call to
the entire Church to make a fresh entry into the year through Porta Fidei
– the Door of Faith. In this present era, the concept of faith is surrounded
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by a lot of confusion. The centre of our faith is none other than God, our
Father. Unless faith becomes a centre of human activity, humanity is bound
to lose the track that leads to God. The Year of Faith has been a spiritual
renewal of Christian life. Today’s generation has lost the meaning of faith
in God. For people what they see, experience and enjoy is the ultimate
end of their existence. Whereas the Pope teaches us in his apostolic
exhortation that faith is a free gift of God to humans. This is a call to
experience the Trinity, experience the Son God, Jesus Christ.
The centre of all the activities of Mgr RFC Mascarenhas had been
Faith. To cite but a few examples – he concentrated his pastoral activity
among the poor masses of our diocese under the stress of material
difficulties and severe financial strain. The parishes were poor. People
lived on either fishing or cultivating the land. Mostly all the people were
having hand to mouth existence. When he started the Udyavar Church, he
did not have even a rupee to begin with. Bishop Cavadini SJ assured him
of his support of prayers and encouraged him in his works.
He said that he could not expect more than 5 rupees from a person
in Udyavar Parish. With the little contribution of the poor people, he built
the church at Udyavar. The church turned out to be a beautiful one and
God helped him through many persons to complete it. It was one of the
most beautiful churches of that time in rural areas. He totally depended
on God. His trust in God’s providence was so strong that God never failed
him. The same could be said of the establishment of the Congregation of
the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany. Bethany was a work which he
had done through good report and evil report, warm appreciation and
through severe criticism. He never thought that he would do it. He felt
that he had no capacity to do such a big venture.
Among many other things, he did not know how the Congregation
would grow. The prayers accompanied the works; if he was not working
physically or manually he would pray unceasingly for the intentions at
hand. He placed all his works in the hands of Blessed Mother and as Mgr
Raymond said, “the works were blessed with unexpected success.” In the
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initial stages of founding the Congregation, Bishop Perini SJ warmly
encouraged his every little step. When he started the Congregation, a
number of priests smiled sarcastically, doubting whether the Congregation
would live to see a decade. He was teased and mocked as the
Congregation was proceeding further. During the Second World War and
the great depression, food and other resources were scarce, and due to
insufficient nourishment, several sisters succumbed to terminal diseases.
Even if there was money, food was not available. Hence, people who
looked down upon the Congregation with a skeptical eye said that it would
be soon closed down. Most of the Sisters of the Congregation were coming
from poor and less literate background. People said, “Because they could
not afford to give dowry, they were sheltered in Bethany. They have to be
sent for higher studies to make them professionally skilled and to make
them eligible to be Religious Sisters.” But the choice of such Sisters really
brought about a change in the thinking of older congregations.
Bethany received girls in plenty as it did not demand dowry and gifts
from the candidates. The older congregations revised their yardstick of
receiving girls from poor families. They also began to take girls with a
minimum dowry or gifts from the family. So the older congregations began
to receive poor and less educated girls and then bring them up to the
level of other Sisters. Either way the girls benefitted. The Founder was
happy that then onwards, the older congregations too began to work for
the development of poor girls. Several schools were opened and sisters
with sufficient qualification were sent. The Sisters dedicated themselves
for the progress of illiterate and poor girls. Wherever there was a school,
the Founder volunteered to send the Sisters to work in these schools.
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both in their houses and in schools earned revenue by which he could
take care of the formation houses. In other words, he lived on a day to
day basis trusting in the providence of God. His confidence in the Divine
Providence was singularly deep. In the various parishes he worked, he
thought of the spiritual and material progress of the people. His Masses,
sermons, holy hours, rosaries, visits to the sick and communion to the
sick were all remarkable spiritual exercises. Wherever he was, the
parishioners had a good word for his services to the people as an
enthusiastic priest.
Many more things can be said about this but the history of the dark
ages of Bethany speaks for itself. The Founder being the Vicar General
one could expect how difficult it would be for him to offer a solution to
every problem. On one hand he could not turn down the complaints of
parish priests and the people against the sisters. On the other hand he
could not defend his sisters outright. Hence, I believe the prophetic words
of Mgr Castelino were very true and that his crown of thorns would turn
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into his crown of glory, up in paradise. Mgr RFC Mascarenhas would ever
say “Bethany my crown and my joy”. But now he was having that crown of
thorns which he had to bear in times which were not so pleasant. Along
with all these, criticism, misunderstanding and mud-slinging exercises
were going on against the Founder. Since he was well grounded and
deeply rooted in faith, he accepted everything in faith. If he did not have
explicit faith and trust in the Divine Providence he would have been frustrated
and crushed long ago. He was a man of firm will and a resolute mind. No
storm, thunder or lightning could shake his faith. The more he heard of
the sad happenings in Bethany, he went into prayer all the more, to relate
everything to God in prayer.
St Paul says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the
wise, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that
are not, to bring to nothing, things that are, so that no human being might
boast in the presence of God” (Cor 1:27-29). Let us have trust and
confidence in the Providence of God who rewards each one according to
his goodness. May the Servant of God be rewarded with the crown that
he longed to receive from the Just Judge for his good works and his faith
in God.
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MGR RAYMOND FC MASCARENHAS‘ HOLY
YEAR PILGRIMAGE- 1934
One among these pilgrims was Mgr RFC Mascarenhas for whom
this pilgrimage was going to be a real deepening of faith experience and
for the concepts he had in mind. He, from the commencement of the
journey realized two things. First of all, he felt there was a peculiar bonding
force uniting all these people from diverse backgrounds who had come
together from all the corners of India for the first time. There were priests
and nuns, men and women of different shades and hues, all focused on
specially one feature that they represented- One Holy Catholic Church,
one people of God in India. Second, he felt a kind of bonding permeating
their hearts and giving them a new unified feeling. They all instinctively
thought in terms of One Mother, One Church.1
The first phase was their experience in the Holy Land. Mgr RFC had
read how Ignatius of Loyola had gone on a similar pilgrimage. He had
done the first part of the journey walking through Northern Spain till he
reached the port of Genoa. Thence taking a ship he reached Crete and
finally Joppa on the coast of the Holy Land. From there it was just four
days‘ on a donkey‘s back, before they sighted the domes of Jerusalem.2
As Monsignor went from site to site, he was transported with joy when
he saw Mount Zion, the upper Cenacle where the Last Supper took place.
They walked the Way of the Cross with their black cassocks on, then to
Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre. As he reached Bethany and the Mount of
Olives, he felt a special transport of light that carried him forward and
moistened his eyes as he directed his thoughts towards the future of his
1
“The Return of the Holy Year Pilgrims,” Mangalore July 1934 (Mangalore: Catholic
Association of South Kanara), 251
2
de Dalmases Candido, Ignatius of Loyola (Institute of Jesuit Resources), 78.
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fledgling effort for the Sisters that he had begun in 1921. He was impelled
towards Bethphage too.
Mgr RFC made a special detour to Northern Italy. From his reading
of Anderson‘s Life of Don Bosco, he had realised that here was a man
guided by God, to do for boys what he was trying to do for young rural
girls in Mangalore, mould them into Sisters and Apostles for the glory of
Christ and the Church. Don Bosco had started with nothing.3 He like Don
Bosco had no inkling of how to go ahead. The Spirit would lead him. How
is it that so many vaddos, in parishes and little workshops and recreation
clubs in distant villages and towns from Mangalore to Udupi were bearing
his name?
What surprised Mgr was that in a few weeks time, Don Bosco was
due to be canonised by Pius XI in Rome. But that suburb of Turin bore the
stamp of three great saints, three great institutions, one alongside the
other. All three founders had died in the odour of sanctity and their sacred
remains were kept alongside the institutions they had founded at such a
tremendous personal cost.
The first of these institutions was that of the ‘Oratory for Homeless
Boys‘ founded by St John Bosco in 1841. These boys hailed from neighbouring
villages seeking employment in the industrial climate of Turin. They could
be seen along the river Po, staring at the well-dressed and perfumed who
passed by without a glance at these poor urchins. Don Bosco was able to
assess the situation and gather these boys beginning with just one brick-
layer who came for a weekday Mass. Today after 60 years, on that very
spot stood a majestic Basilica dedicated to Mary, Help of all Christians. Mgr
RFC realized that here was a set pattern for him to work on.
The third institute lying parallel to the previous two also left him
equally shocked. The present co-founder St Joseph Cafasso, happened to
be the confessor of Don Bosco. He was considered a man of tremendous
holiness and spiritual counsel. Many a priest and nun and lay person
sought his advice and counsel. He demonstrated a rare gift of control
over souls and was considered capable of converting the hardest of hearts.
He was in the habit of visiting the prisons and when there was some
unfortunate criminal condemned to death, he would ride with him on the
cart, comforting him till the very end. No wonder he was nicknamed ‘The
Priest of the Gallows.‘5
For Mgr RFC, the visits to these institutions, especially the last two
were unforgettable experiences. Mangalore had to grow to feel the need
for such foundations. They had to trust more in Providence and they had
to have the religious feelings of a Moses and an Aaron who led their
people through the turbulent waters of the Red Sea, trusting in God.
4
Bosco Teresio, Don Bosco (Don Bosco Medien GmbH), 87.
5
Bosco Teresio, Don Bosco (Don Bosco Medien GmbH), 128.
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FR RAYMOND, THE PROMOTER OF
SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT
Mr Edmund Frank
One can confidently say that the ideas of Mgr Raymond Mascarenhas,
and the activities and programmes promoted by him eight decades ago
are in vogue even today. For instance the community colleges to help train
school and college drop outs are a buzz word today. Such community
education centres were set up by Bethany under the guidance of their
Founder as early as 1921, and the crowning glory came by way of setting
up of a Community College in Rosa Mystica Campus in the year 2005. St
Martha‘s Industrial School in Bendur established in 1922 was one such
schools which was approved by the government and also secured grants
under the then Joint Director of Industries and Commerce. This school
offered two years and three years Industrial Certificate Courses to train
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poor girls who could not continue their education due to financial or other
reasons.
Very often our thinking and actions are dictated by the stress of the
circumstances and environment we live in. Fr Raymond Mascarenhas had
a clear vision to empower the poor in rural areas by helping them to learn
some trade or business skills in order to be self-reliant. In his mission to
fulfil his vision, he was to a certain extent influenced by Gandhian ideologies.
This can be seen from the fact that he directed Bethany‘s developmental
activities towards the villages of Mulky, Balkunje, Kinnikambla, Taccode,
Kirem, Borimar, Uppinangady, Kokkada, Permannur, Bantwal and Bajpe.
This developmental effort was extended to villages surrounding Belgaum
and Dharwar in 1939 and soon to parishes in Malabar Calicut and Wynad.
These activities started in the 1930‘s continue with vigour even to this day.
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version provided in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Act of 2006,
passed by the government of India.
Industrial Training
programmes initiated by Mgr
Raymond Mascarenhas were
not confined to the district of
Dakshina Kannada only. His
industrious ideas to put
human labour to productive
use have yielded fruitful
results. In the southern
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regions of Wynad district in Kerala, trades like stone crushing, spinning
and weaving and coffee powder making enterprises are successfully
organized. Tailoring classes and embroidery making conducted in a number
of centres are approved and recognised by the government. The training
centres have helped a large number of women young and elderly to get
trained and earn a decent livelihood. These courses have been widened
over the years to include Home Science, Computer Education, Nursing,
Fashion Designing, Lab Technician Courses, Carpentry and Masonry. It is
the same story in parts of North India, Northeast India and North Karnataka
where the Bethany Sisters have a sizeable presence. Through their
Community Colleges and Vocational Training Centres, the poor specially
women and youth are helped to find a footing in the field of work and
attain self-reliance.
We can clearly observe how the thoughts and ideas of Mgr Raymond
Mascarenhas pertaining to providing training to poor persons especially
women centred around empowering them with some trade and business
skills to be self-reliant. The whole motive was to instil in them the spirit of
entrepreneurship so that they could set up their own small businesses and
trades. Because of the motivation that he instilled in the Bethany Sisters
during his life time his vision of empowering the poor in the society is kept
alive and vibrant even to this day.
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A PASTOR - PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH KANARA 1931-1941
An Anthology
Mr Ivan Saldanha
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Founded in 1914, CASK has just set foot into its Centenary year 2013-
2014. Therefore, it is here fitting to reflect on this first Servant of God
from the Mangalorean community and Kanara and his contributions. His
saintliness not only enhances the goodness of the community, the Church
of Christ but also blesses people of goodwill at large. To know that this
contemporary saintly priest of our community, our very own, who extended
God’s goodness through his saintliness to all people around him, must
inspire and support in many ways the greater good of Christ and his
Church which is forever alive and growing in many directions before our
very eyes. That he is the primary individual, who visualised, founded and
guides Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, is a matter of pride to this
Congregation. Born in the soil of Mangalore it must proceed to motivate
the pride and generosity of every Mangalore Catholic wherever they
are. This will inspire CASK and all people of Kanara in particular and
strengthen the love and respect that guides them. CASK over the years
has displayed a commendable effort to bring to Mangaloreans the very
special place that Rev Mgr Raymond has been given. Particularly relevant
here is the coverage its magazine Mangalore which commenced publication
in 1927 has provided from time to time to this revolutionary holy priest, a
president of the Organisation for a whole decade. Particularly noteworthy
is the cover feature with many rare pictures it printed in its July 2008
issue, following the recognition of Mgr Mascarenhas as ‘Servant of God’.
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Brief History and Activities of CASK
The credit for establishing CASK in 1914 goes to the then Bishop of
Mangalore, Dr Paul Perini SJ, who is said to have encouraged the clergy
and the laity to start an association to promote religious, economic and
social welfare of the people. Bishop Perini was elected as the Founder
President of CASK, with Rao Sahib A J Lobo as Founder Vice-President
and Dr Bonaventure Colaco as Founder Secretary.
Over the last 100 years, CASK has worked towards fulfilling the
following objectives of the Association for the good of the community.
Examining Mgr Mascarenhas’ consistent thinking and working, it is clear
that it had always been in tandem with CASK’s aims:
- Act as the voice of the community in upholding its rights and privileges.
- CASK organizes regular programmes for its members and also special
programmes for students, youth, women and other potential groups.
I need to say that our Association has been a great power for good
before the country and before government. Dignity with authority has
distinguished it whenever it has acted. Of course, like every good and
noble thing it has been the object both of great love and hate also. A
powerful instrument for the good of our community, it is bound to be a
target for attack on the part of those who are for disunion in order to
disintegrate our solidarity with the object of fishing in troubled waters.
However, by the grace of God, opposition has added to its strength and
usefulness and proved its necessity for our common welfare. ‘Long live
the Association‘ is my prayer. May it grow from strength to strength and
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increase in numbers and merits. ‘May it ever be a powerful voice and a
still more powerful arm, ever watchful and alert, to guard and defend the
interests of our community is my earnest wish and prayer for the Catholic
Association of South Kanara while I bid goodbye. ...”
Even before you became President of this Association, you took keen
interest in its work. You took an important part in the preparation of
memoranda forwarded to the Government, in regard to the educational
and other grievances of our community...When the Chief Minister, Dr
Subbarayan visited Mangalore in 1928, you helped in preparing a
memorandum... and you were the chief spokesman of the deputation which
met him. The result of this representation was the Government Order of
1929 which may be called the ‘Magna Carta’ of the Catholic Schools,
recognising as it did, the special requirements of Catholics in regard to
schools. You were on one of the deputations sent by our Association to
make representation to the Statutory Simon Commission when it visited
Madras in 1929.
It would not be out of place to refer to the many claims you have on
the Catholic Community, for valuable services rendered to it, apart from
the work in the Association... It is at Bendur that your work as Parish Priest
had its full efflorescence. In 1914 you were at the request of the
Parishioners of the newly erected Parish, placed in charge of the Parish.
For 17 years you were the (first) Vicar of Bendur. And it may be said of
your work there: “Si monumentum quaeris, circumspice”...
Above all you have, through the Bethany Sisters, carried out
humanitarian work, by establishing three orphanages for girls with more
than 100 orphans and a weaving establishment. A former Viceroy of India,
Lord Wellington, said that rural problems in India have been one of the
chief preoccupations of the administrations...for long past. You are
contributing towards the solution of this problem in this district by your
pioneering work in rural uplift in the extensive agricultural colony at Gurpur
under the management of the Bethany Sisters, which promises to develop
into a rural development centre....You have united in yourself, qualities
rarely found in combination. You have proved a good administrator, a
learned canonist, a lucid writer and a powerful preacher both in English
and Konkani. Your part in the revival of the Konkani language deserves a
mention...You have been the outstanding figure among the clergy of this
diocese setting a great example by your piety, devotion and unostentatious
and laborious work.
With your life crowded with work for your diocese, your parish, your
schools and institutions, you have found time to attend to other activities
for which you were so well fitted that you could not be spared from them.
You were thus a member of the District Educational Council from the time
it was established, for two terms. You were the only member in the body
representing the Catholic schools. The burden was a heavy one and you
discharged it with ability. You have made a careful study of educational
matters and are the leading authority in the Diocese....You were a member
of the Mangalore Municipal Council where also you had to deal with
educational questions, and where you always were listened to with respect.
You were a Director and then President of the Roman Catholic Provident
Fund from 1914 till this year. You were President of the Konkani Catholic
Truth Society. ...
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We now wish you Good-bye and Godspeed, with a tearful heart. You
may rest assured that you will always be remembered by this Association
with esteem and affection and with gratitude for all the work you have
done for it. And on the other hand we have no doubt that you will reserve
a corner of your heart for us and will not be reluctant to continue to help
us with advice and support whenever necessary.
This beautiful and immense gathering with smiling faces all around,
and eyes aglow with enthusiasm, I do verily feel that Rev Jubilarian has
already found an abiding place in the hearts of a grateful community, that
he has most deserving secured a niche, in the temple of fame, and that his
name will loom large in the pages of the history of the Diocese of Mangalore.
Rev Fr Jubilarian may rest assured, that our object in meeting here is
not to offer incense, but to take stock of his various achievements during
the last fifty years, praise God the giver of all gifts for having bestowed on
us such a good, holy and gifted priest, who is not only a source of pride to
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the already well-known Mascarenhas family, but a source of joy to his
many friends and well wishers in all walks of life...He transformed tiny
parishes into suitable habitations for our Lord to dwell. So far as Bendoor
is concerned, he founded there a bleak spot; he converted it into a
flourishing parish. How he managed to spend a figure of Rs.75,000/ there,
with his most slender resources, he alone could tell. The sobbing send-off
that was given to him and the purse that was presented to him, on the
occasion of his farewell, speak volumes to the affection and esteem, which
Rev Jubilarian must have en-kindled in the hearts of Bendoor parishioners.
I said what a great reward awaits him. Let us pray that he may be
spared for us yet another few years, hale in body and vigorous in mind.
Let us pray that his remaining years may not be weighed down in increasing
cares. Rome has recognised his work. Rev Jubilarian has yet to wait for
greater recognition. Rome moves slowly. Allow me to express on behalf of
all, our heartfelt gratitude for the very great services you rendered to the
cause so dear to us Catholics.
His special love and zeal for the Eucharist was testified by many.
Alex Pais, advocate of the High Court of Mumbai says, “Years ago I spent
a few days at Udyavar. ... I had not met Fr Mascarenhas before that… He
was young then… one Sunday at Mass, the celebrant at the altar was
celebrating Mass with such unction, such deliberation, and such absorption
that the picture has always remained in my mind, no other priest at the
altar since has produced on me an impression akin to this”. During the life
time of Mgr Raymond the Mass and Church rites were in Latin, people
spoke highly of his deep concern. The then assistant parish priest Fr John
Cornelio has noted in his book, “His deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament
manifested itself especially at Mass; never in a hurry, feeling what he says
and giving expression to almost every word, both to the prayers and to the
reading of the Epistles and Gospels. He was at his best, when there arose
an opportunity of giving public honour to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament”.
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The people of Mangalore are ever grateful to him for encouraging the
setting up of the first ‘St Vincent de Paul’ unit at Bendur in 1926, supported
by prominent persons who worked in Bombay. In 1938, Mgr RFC played an
important role in the famous Eucharistic Congress of the time. In 1955,
recognizing Mgr Mascarenhas’ singular services the then Bishop Rt Rev
Basil Peres recommended him to the Holy See and he was granted the
honour of `Domestic Prelate` which is a special recognition for the clergy
equivalent to a ‘knight’.
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Biondi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide in the
Vatican sent a letter of felicitation for his Konkani translation of the New
Testament. His service to the uplift and perpetuation of Konkani in
the area is extolled even today. He is also a widely travelled person of his
time not only in India, but made trips to Rome, Europe, US and the Holy
land and so on. His command over the English language has been admired
consistently and this gift from the Lord contributed in interfacing with high
Government officials. Yet, Konkani was his special forte and his love for all
aspects of Konkani culture ruled his head and heart always.
In contemporary terms, this holy Servant of God not only faced head
-on but seemed to provide an understanding solution to the ills that people
today face in great tragic
measure in the twenty
first century world. He was
a prophet before his time
and as time moves ahead,
enlightened humans are
able to see the design
of God in his actions and
exhortations like a
revelation unfolding. There are many challenges humanity all over the
world is facing today. The primary of these are Fundamentalism,
Globalization, Gender Discrimination, Rape of Nature and Environment,
Corruption and Materialism. The lost sense of sin which has become today
the greatest enemy to the good of humanity, constantly concerned Mgr
Mascarenhas. His candid talks and sermons were often very vivid and
curative putting back on track many tested lives.
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On February 29, 1960 in anticipation
of the Diamond Jubilee of his priesthood
(March 4) celebrations he was struck down
by a paralytic stroke that left him bound
to his bed in the Cottage at Bethany till
his heroic death on December 23, 1960.
His passing away stunned the city. Rt
Rev Raymond D’ Mello the Bishop
mourned, “Mgr Mascarenhas is a holy
priest who has done great service for
God”. He was entombed on Christmas
eve with great reverence and solemnity at the foot of the altar as per the
wishes of the people of Mangalore, at Bendur Church which be built,
although Mgr Raymond had earlier prepared a tomb for himself near the
Bethany chapel. Today, these places are sacred to his devotees who visit
them to ask for favours often granted and published. Most of the saintly
go unsung and may not be proclaimed saints. Those who are declared
saints provide the example and the path to sainthood to every Christian
and in fact to every human. In its decree “Ad Gentes” the Churches’ Vatican
Council II stated, saints may be even those who do not belong to the fold.
As Catholics we are called upon to pay attention in the light of Mgr Raymond’s
life and works as human beings. One of the most beautiful documents of
the Second Vatican Council in 1965 “The Pastoral Constitution on the Church
in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes)” says, “All men are endowed with
a rational soul and are created in God’s image; they have the same nature
and origin and they enjoy the same divine calling and destiny; there is
here a basic equality between all men and it must be given ever greater
recognition.”
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CANONIZATION & SAINTHOOD - HISTORY
It was nine centuries after the Church came into existence that the
first individual was officially raised to the honours of the altar and
declared a Saint of the Church, on 3 February, 993 by Pope John XV;
the Saint was St Ulrich, Bishop of Augsburg, presently in Bavaria,
Germany. Of course there were, as there are today, many saints, but
they have not undergone the official process prescribed by the Holy
See; that is why we observe All Saints‘ Day every year on the first day
of November to honour them. In earlier times saints were acclaimed
by vox populi just public popularity. Today, a Catholic’s fame of holiness
sets in motion the process of official Church canonization. Gradually,
to avoid abuse the Bishops reserved the right to recommend a specific
member of the faithful for public devotion, but they always did so by
the demand of the faithful. During the early age of Christianity and
persecutions, the Eucharist was usually celebrated upon the tombs of
deceased Christians on their anniversaries. As the Romans took little
notice, it was passed off to be in keeping with Roman customs of
dining at the tombs of the dead. The first Christian liturgies were a
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close imitation of what occurred at the Last Supper; there was not yet
an established rite, nor established liturgical vestments, sacred vessels
and so on to foster devotion; there was not even a Church for that
matter. This observance became generalized with time, and there
was pomp in celebrating the ‘Mass‘ as we now call it. St Augustine, in
his ‘Confessions’ tells of the Eucharist he celebrated on the tomb of
his mother, St Monica. With passage of time the bones or ‘relics’
(Latin ‘relinquere’, to leave behind) of holy people were shifted to
Churches for safety and sacredness. This gradually gave rise to the
practice to entomb (place in a grave) mortal remains of holy people
worthy of veneration. With the increase in the number of saints, the
Church established criteria necessary to proclaim saints officially by
the Church after due process, which is open to continuous modifications
and strict rules. Thus our protagonist Servant of God Mgr RFC
Mascarenhas is on this path the Church has laid down towards
sainthood.
The Vice-Postulator
Cause of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas
Bethany Convent, Kankanady Post
Mangalore - 575 002
Karnataka, India
Managing Editor
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IN QUEST OF A SAINT- MGR RAYMOND
F C MASCARENHAS
ASPECT OF FAITH ROLE MODEL
Mr James D’Souza
Now, coming to the topic for this piece. What is the definition of the
word ‘faith’? What is faith and who is the repository of this faith? Then
again, is it faith in God, faith in the teachings of the Church, faith in oneself?
Is it the same (blind) faith that came down to us from our forefathers?
Faith, trust, belief, confidence – do all these mean the same? “The virtue
of humility springs from a spirit of Faith,” RFC had said in his exhortation to
his spiritual daughters. The reverse is more true. He also spoke of the
importance of prayer for salvation, and he quoted St Paul, “It is no use
preaching if we ourselves are cast out”. But, what is prayer worth, if the
suppliant lacks faith in the One he is praying to? I am not looking for
answers to these and many more questions like these on what we refer to
as ‘faith’ for the simple reason that it is outside the scope of this
presentation.
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great writer and thinker the late Archbishop Fulton J Sheen calls ‘creative
despair’, and looks to God as his surest hope, that is manifestation of faith,
sure and simple. When disappointed and frustrated at his pleadings before
God going unheeded, does not give up in despair but perseveres in his
prayer – that again, in my humble opinion, is faith, though I must concede
the expression ‘pleadings’ sounds a bit personal with a touch of selfishness,
while, ‘persevere’ is faith lily - white and absolute.
“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable and receives the
impossible” says Corrie Ten Boom (I borrowed this beautiful quote from a
friend). “Faith without works is dead,” says Apostle James (Js 2:14). It
would be incredible to assume that Mgr RFC was ignorant of this Biblical
quote when he ventured into undertaking formidable tasks, took the path
not treaded by anyone at that time in that part of the country. When
society was eulogizing the affluent, he went for the poor and the
marginalized- the girl child and the illiterates. Hardly ten years a priest,
we see him building churches in remote places like Udyavar and Agrar,
with no financial or moral support from any quarters. “Will I be able to put
life into these dry bones?”, he had said in 1914 on being appointed parish
priest to the newly formed Parish of St Sebastian in Bendur; Parish sans a
church for worship, presbytery, land, not even drinking water! He knew,
he could and he would. He challenged himself by demonstrating to the
world his tremendous and unshakable faith in God and in himself, and his
integrity and capacity in inculcating the same in others. A magnificent
church that took ten years to build brick –by- brick by begging for help as
miniscule as a single rupee. In between, with four young ladies determined
to dedicate their lives in God’s service as Religious Sisters, who put their
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faith in him to be the nucleus of the Religious Congregation that he founded,
with no resources but his prayers and his faith. And, the result? By the
time these reached their Silver Jubilee Years, some 80 priestly vocations
from the Parish, four of whom became Bishops, over hundred nuns in the
Convent, living quarters for them, a beautiful Chapel, three schools and
what not! Dry bones brought to life?
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FAVOURS RECEIVED THROUGH THE
INTERCESSION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD
RAYMOND FC MASCARENHAS AND PUBLISHED
IN RAKNNO, THE KONKANI WEEKLY OF
MANGALORE DIOCESE AND THE SECULAR CITIZEN
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has interested himself in Mangalore’s history, regularly contributing widely
to local print and electronic media. He has been closely associated with
CASK and has contributed often to ‘Mangalore’ magazine. He has been
keen in promoting the Cause of the Servant of God of Raymond
Mascarenhas from the very start and never misses an occasion to write
about this saintly cause and Mgr Raymond.
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