THE COMPASSIONATE PASTOR

JULY 2009

Editorial Board Managing Editor Sr M Wilberta, BS Chief Editor Sr M Lillis, BS MEMBERS Rev Fr Joseph Martis Mr Ivan Saldanha Sr Miriam, BS Sr M Theresine, BS Sr M Lilitta, BS Sr M Rose Celine, BS Sr M Celine Vas, BS Sr Mary Noulak, BS Sr M Jessy Rita, BS

Contents
1. Message 2. Editorial ............................. ............................. 3 5

3. Inspiring sayings of The Servant of God RFC Mascarenhas ................ 6 4. Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas a Mystic of our Times - Rev Fr Joseph Martis ............... 7 5. Servant of God Msgr Raymond, the Pioneer Pastor of Bendur - Ivan Saldanha ......................... 19 6. Fr Mascarenhas and His Devotions - The Late Sr M Violette, BS ...... 29 7. The Compassionate Pastor - James D Souza ...................... 33 8. From the Letters of Fr Raymond Mascarenhas ................................. 35 9. Favours Received Published in Raknno Konkani Weekly ................. 36 10. Favours Received ......................... 40
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Milestones in the Life of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas

23.01.1875 27.01.1875 1885 26.09.1886 23.02 1891 04.03.1900 11.03.1900 1900 -1903 1903 -1904 1904 1904-1910 1914-1931 16-07-1921 1921-1927 1921-1927 1923-1929 04-03-1925 1931-1941 1931-1941 1932-1941 1932-1936 1937 -1941 28-10-1935 1938 27 -02- 1941 04- 03 -1950 1949 1952 1954 1954 20-06-1955 04-03-1960 23-12-1960 03-06-2008 Birth at Shimoga Baptism at Sacred Heart Church, Shimoga First Holy Communion at Milagres Church, Mangalore Received Confirmation Joins St Josephs Apostolic Seminary, Mangalore Ordained Priest at Rosario Cathedral, Mangalore First Mass at Milagres Church, Mangalore Asst Vicar of Milagres Church, Mangalore and Mount Rosary, Kalianpur Parish Priest, St Francis Xavier Church, Udyavar Asst. Parish Priest, Borimar Parish Priest, Most Holy Saviour Church, Agrar First Parish Priest, Bendur, Mangalore Founded Bethany Director, Mangalore Roman Catholic Pioneer Fund Member, District Educational Council of South Kanara Municipal Councillor, Mangalore Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee Vicar General, Diocese of Mangalore President, Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK) Vice-President of Cath.Board of Ed. Diocese of Mangalore Diocesan Supervisor of Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools of the Diocese of Mangalore. President, Mangalore R. Cath. Provident Fund (MRCP Fund) Introduces Perpetual Adoration at Bethany Motherhouse. President, Konkani Catholic Truth Society (KCTS) Retired to private life Twin Jubilee (Golden Jubilee of his Ordination and Platinum Jubilee of his life) Translates from Latin into Konkani Novo Testament- Havn Watt, Sath, Jeevith Char Evangel Poilo Vanto First Translation of New Testament from Latin (Vulgate Edition) into Konkani Amcha Somi Jesu Christacho Novo Testament The Imitation of Mary A Few Minutes with Mary on Saturdays and Feast Days (in Konkani) Receives the honour from Pope Pius XII as Domestic Prelate to the Pope Sacerdotal Diamond Jubilee Passes on to the Lord ( at his residence at Bethany), buried at St Sebastians Church, Bendur Declared Servant of God 2

Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao

Archbishop of Delhi

Archbishops House 1, Ashok Place New Delhi - 110 001 (INDIA) Phone: 23343457, 23362958 E-mail : archbishopdelhi@yahoo.co.in Fax : 91-011-23746575 May 27, 2009

Ref. No. BF/0429/2009

MESSAGE
I am very glad that Msgr Mascarenhas, the Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany has been declared a Servant of God by Rome. As far as I know, this is the first one to be so declared from the Catholic Community in Mangalore. Msgr Mascarenhas was certainly a very dedicated pastor, prayerful, with great devotion to our Blessed Mother, concerned for the uplift of the poor and deeply interested in their education. It was to continue this apostolate that he founded the Bethany Congregation. And if today the Congregation has spread to so many states in India and to other countries as well, it is a clear sign of his blessing on his daughters and his intercessory power. I have come across several instances when unexpected favours were received through his intercession. I am sure as the process of his beatification and canonization goes on many more such instances will come to light for the edification of our people. It is my ardent desire that the holiness of Msgr Mascarenhas will be recognized and he will be raised to the altar.

+Vincent M. Concessao Archbishop of Delhi

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Most Rev Vincent M. Concessao, the Archbishop of Delhi hails from Puttur, in South Kanara District, in the Diocese of Mangalore. Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas opened the first branch house of Bethany in the parish of Puttur, then a remote mission area. Archbishop Vincents aunt, the late Sr Tharsis and his sister, Sr Jerosa are pioneer members of Bethany Congregation. Editor

A Priest to be Remembered in the Year of Priests

Not your diocese alone, but the whole Church of India and particularly the Indian Bishops and priests are proud of what you have done and regard you as one of the outstanding priests of the generation. Thus read a congratulatory note of the late Bishop Raymond of the Diocese of Allahabad to the servant of God Msgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas on his Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee in 1950. On this occasion of the Year of the Priests it is indeed apt that we try to fathom the life and spirituality of this great priest of God who considered priesthood as the greatest gift he received from God and lived it to the full. The articles in this issue expound the mystical and prophetic aspects of the spirituality of the Servant of God Msgr Raymond who remained faithful and committed to his call and mission. His life exemplifies how one can be a prophetic mystic in the ordinary situations of life. This will be of great interest to all of us who are called to witness Christ in our every day life. I would like to narrate an example to illustrate how the Servant of God taught the Bethany Sisters to be contemplatives in action. One sister named Bartholomea was put in charge of the kitchen and the compound. As such her mind was fully occupied with her work. When she went for spiritual direction to Msgr. Raymond (our Founder) he advised her with these words: Have you seen the picture of St. Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus playing on his book? During your work, think that the Infant Jesus is playing on your pots and pans in the kitchen, in the stable and in the fields. Thereby you will keep the presence of God at all times during the day. This will be the best prayer you could offer to God. I invite you readers to journey into the interior life of this ordinary priest of God who was perennially connected to God and thus did great things for the Church. The numerous favours reported in this issue, I believe, are the proofs of his powerful intercession and the fame of holiness.

Sr M Lillis BS
Editor

Inspiring sayings of SERV THE SERVANT OF GOD RAYMOND RAYMOND FC MASCARENHAS

Our Blessed Mother is with me; it may be Calvary. But that is where our Lord and His Blessed Mother are; and I am content to be where they are. Mary is the Queen and Mother of Bethany. Yes, you are a flower, a plant in Our Ladys Garden. Bethany is the garden of our Blessed Mothers loving choice. Our Mother loves Bethany- in all its poverty, in all its sufferings and crosses, trials and joys; she is all in all to Bethany- a Mother, nay, the fondest Mother. Without humility, we shall never be true religious; the deeper the humility, the greater the sanctity we will acquire. Humility is the surest way to run in the way of perfection, whereas pride, self-love is the greatest obstacle to attain the love of God. Our spiritual life will not be solid unless we build it on the rock of humility. The merit of our work is not measured by the greatness of the action but by the purity of our intention. Let us remember that the best preparation for communion does not consist in the recitation of some set forms of prayer, often said with distractions or out of habit, but in the faithful fulfillment of our duties accepting and offering to the Lord, the trouble and opposition that comes our way with the intention of making all these acts of our services as a preparation for Holy Communion.

Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas a Mystic of our Times

Rev Fr Joseph Martis
M.A. M.Phil, Ph.D

Professor, St Josephs Interdiocesan Seminary Mangalore

Introduction
Bethany, the house which Jesus loved so much provokes me to think of paradoxically two genres of mystics. One that of Mary, very often hailed and qualified as the mystic par excellence, for she had chosen the better part, for she was listening to Jesus and paying utmost attention to every word that came from the mouth of the Master. She was so much aligned to the heart and mind of Jesus; she was so much absorbed in Him that nothing else would take away her attention. She was one with the Divine, with God himself. The other mystic, Martha, if you could call her a mystic at all was of a totally different type, a distracted mystic, a mystic busy with many things, a mystic worried or agitated about so many things, a mystic who would even complain about her sister, a non mystic mystic. Both in my eyes were mystics but of two different kinds, two different orientations. If Mary could be qualified as a mystic of interiority, another could be termed as a mystic of common place or mystic of everyday life. Jesus was very much fascinated with both the sisters of this house of Bethany and the two different sorts of spiritualities that existed under the same roof. That is the reason why he frequents this house and it becomes for him a home of rest and leisure. Another spiritual man of our times who loved this house and was captivated by the Spirit of Bethany was Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Inspired by these two sisters he tried to create a new concept of mystical experience knitting together the spirituality of both Mary and Martha in his spirituality, outlook and ministry. Stirred by the life of Mary and Martha he says: The Spirit of all Orders in the church whether contemplative or active, is built upon the spirit of Bethany Prayer and work; contemplation and action. Let us imbibe that Spirit. Let us be other Marthas and
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Marys in this our Holy house of Bethany, and Jesus will come to us and stay with us. 1. This dual spiritual vision of this servant of God prompts me to explore on the possibility to read his life and mission as a manifestation of a spirituality of mystical life. Hence in this article, I shall try to articulate a few aspects of the mystical characteristics of his spiritual life. 1. Mystical Experience It is not my interest here to excavate into the historical meaning of the word mysticism and its related terms. We must know that the word mystical was connected with something hidden, that which was not accessible to the common man. It was a sort of secret knowledge and experience which was reserved only to a few who were initiated into such experiences. In the Greek understanding mystery was associated with cults and rituals not available for the common man. Although the Christian understanding of mystery was very closely linked with Greek usage, over the years however it was not simply taken as a sort of secretive knowledge, but as St Paul would understand it as the cream and apex of Christian experience of the risen Lord. According to him, in Christ alone are communicated to us those truths which are foundations of our faith that is the final designs of God and his very nature. Over the years and with the reflection of so many theologians mysticism in Christianity has been understood as the life of a person who is deeply united and one with God. He is the one who experiences the extra-ordinary love of God and diffuses this love very powerfully in his words and deeds. It is in this sense do I consider Msgr Raymond as a mystic for he experienced the love of God so deeply in the person of Christ and diffused his experience in a prophetic manner. The following points will show to us that his life and good works manifest strong and genuine glimpses of an authentic mystic of our times. 2. A Prophetic Mystic If mystic means a person totally closed to the world and its anxieties and worries, then Msgr Raymond could never be captioned as a mystic, for he was a man in the world. He was a good pastor and thus the problems of the world were his problems and its needs his
1

Sr Bertha , BS, (Ed), From the Lips of the Founder (Mangalore : Bethany Publications), 1942,248

needs. He could thus be called a prophetic mystic, the one who united himself deeply with God and drew enormous energy from the Eucharistic Lord and spent this energy in his mission. A prophetic mystic is the one who reads the signs of the times and challenges the existing unjust and inhuman socio-economic order and allows God to transform it 2. Thus we see that Mystical experience is not against prophetic preaching; on the contrary they go hand in hand, they are so connected to each other. This is so rightfully pointed out by Sr Kathleen Coyle where she says: Mysticism needs prophecy, a mystical consciousness and a prophetic lifestyle are meant to serve each other because every true prophet is a mystic and every genuine mystic is a prophet 3. The life and ministry of Msgr Raymond show that he had two prominent dimensions in his spirituality: contemplation and action. In his ministry as a pastor and a diocesan priest he read the signs of the times and pulsed the need to transform the existing social and economic situation particularly of the poor girls and women. When his times saw the women and considered them almost as second class citizens, when they were not the beneficiaries of education, when they were loaded with worries of social symbols such as dowry and so on, Msgr Raymond stood like an undaunted hero and put himself into action so as to transform the existing situation and do something and thus create a socio-economic and religious environment so as to liberate such an oppressive predicament[4]. His compassionate outlook which resulted from his deep spiritual contact with God pushed him to redeem the suffering humankind and bring them the liberating touch of Christ the compassionate pastor. Thus interiority and prophetic proclamation constituted the hallmarks of his spiritual outlook. 3. A Man of God Your founder is a man of God Homo Dei, these were the words of Msgr Pompeo Borgna, the Proto Notary Apostolic Domestic
Kathleen Coyle, SSC, Prophetic Mysticism : The Call of Empowered Women Religious, in In Christo, July, 2008, 133. 3 Kathleen Coyle, SSC Prophetic Mysticism : The Call to Live Prophetically, in East Asian Pastoral Review, Vol, 45, 2008, No, 2, 115. 4 Sr M, Esperic, BS, My Joy and my Crown: My Memories of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas (Mangalore: Bethany Publications), 2003, 11.
2

prelate of Pope 5. Yes, this I feel is the best and the complete definition of who a mystic is. He is essentially linked to God, in him Theos and anthropos are so joined together that although he lives in this world he is not a man of this world, neither a man possessed by the powers and things of this world. On the contrary, he belongs to God; his belongingness is so linked to the divine that his umbilical cord is perennially attached to God. A man of God is by his very substance a mystic in its true sense of the word. Father Mascarenhas was a man deeply in touch with God and prayer constituted a major item of his life. He would spend hours in prayer or in contemplation. It is noted by one of the sisters that everyday at 3.00 p.m. we found him in the choir loft above the chapel praying. On Maundy Thursday in particular during holy week, he used to spend the whole day at the feet of our Lord, in the sanctuary... 6 The desire for the divine constitutes the deepest inner urge of a spiritual person. This inner quest for God could be perceived in the prayer life of Msgr Raymond. He desired to be in intimate connection with God. He desired to be with God and relish His company. He knew very well from the writings of great mystics the joy of inner God experience. For him, heaven was a deep experience of the divine, it is an experience as he says in his own words of two lovers who would talk to each other and share their happiness in silence, in solitude they see each other, talk to each other 7. It is an experience wherein the soul is almost dumbfounded and not able to explain. The soul, says our Spiritual Father, enters into a sort of silence. The silence here is not just an empty stillness but pregnant with meaning and filled with love. We find thus a typical characteristic of the mystical spirituality wherein the soul allows God to act and remains a keen listener to his voice. It is a silence for no human language is able to comprehend and express this inner divine presence. Experience goes beyond any expression. As we often sing: Lord you have touched my heart and left me speechless, silence is all I need to sing your praise. This mystical
5

Quoted by Sr M. Esperie, B.S., My Joy and my Crown: My Memories of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, 21. 6 Sr Esperie, BS, My Joy and my Crown, 37. 7 Sr Bertha, BS, (Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 68 10

silence becomes the inner force of every spiritual expression be it in words or deeds. Msgr Raymonds hymns, sermons and good works are an expression of this deep inner spiritual experience. Another characteristic of any mystical experience consists in inner passivity. This passivity is in no way negative, on the contrary, it is a very positive experience of divine activity. By mystical passivity we understand, one allows God to act and move ones life. It is Gods initiative and Gods work. The mystic allows God to act on him and allows God to mould his very self. God becomes the very source of life. Father Raymond had also similar experience which is so well expressed in his expression wherein he says: As soon as you see and contemplate the beauty of God, you fall in love with him. But the soul dare not express its love... So it asks God to clothe itself with his own beauty and fill it with his divine love and thus adorned it will love God perfectly 8. The passivity of the soul is an expression of utmost humility and total reverence. This allows God to be the sole master and allows humans to be what one should be, a loving creature. Forgiveness 4. A Spirit of Forgiveness The spiritual intensity of a person is gauged not much by the daily religious practices one follows, but in the capacity one has to forgive. To know whether a person is intensely spiritual is to know if he has the inner strength to forgive in particular his adversaries. This is so vibrantly seen in the life of Christ. He was spiritual; he was mystic to the finest point for he had the capacity to forgive. He was ready to forgive his enemies. We see this great quality in the life of Pope John Paul II who set a tremendous example in forgiving his enemy and preaching forgiveness wherever he went. When we read the life of Msgr Raymond, one could see the capacity to forgive in this devout soul. Like any great man or woman of every age, he too had his cup of misunderstandings, oppositions, negative sayings, but this man of God had tremendous strength to forgive. When questioned whether he had forgiven all his adversaries, he answered: I have forgiven all. Everyday while I offer the sacrifice of the Mass, when I say Our Father. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us I forgive all.
8

Sr Bertha, BS, (Ed.), From the Lips of the Founder, 69 11

I say this prayer everyday and I mean it. I have forgiven all of them. This insistence that he had forgiven could not be doubted. He insists again and again that he had forgiven. Towards the fag end of his lifes journey he once again attests saying I have forgiven them 9. 5. Seeing the Presence of God in Nature For a mystic everything in creation manifests something of the divine. This is so vividly seen among the Indian mystics. The entire creation is a song of Gods love. This mystical trend is so visible in the life of St Francis of Assisi wherein he sings with the entire creation the glory of God. One thus needs spectacular eyes and ears to see and hear the voice and glory of God in every creature and thus pulse the creative presence of God. Msgr Raymond could see the divine presence so beautifully expressed in nature. He was a man of the nature, who loved trees, animals and birds. He had the specific eyes and ears to discern the presence of God in every living creature. He saw the beauty of the creator reflected in everything. He loved trees and detested vehemently people who would cut the trees and destroy the nature so beautiful. As Sister Esperie remarks: Fr Founder was a great lover of nature and he always encouraged people to love nature and conserve it. He knew a great deal about every tree, every plant and he treated nature with great respect and care. His love was not only for humanity but also for all the works of the creator 10. 6. A Suffering Disciple If you want to be a mystic you must carry your cross and follow Jesus of Nazareth. As a fish cannot live outside the water, so does a mystic without suffering. There cannot be a disciple of Christ without the cross and much less a mystic. Mystic in the true sense of the term is a suffering servant. To begin with Jesus himself, he suffered, physical, social, psychological and even spiritual abandonment. He felt lonely, insulted, beaten up. He felt helplessness and insecurity. He felt abandoned. This experience is so vividly seen in the lives of great mystics. Regarding sufferings St Theresa of Avila the Spanish mystic notes: I find for myself that the Lord wishes that we be sickly; at least in my
9 10

Sr Esperie, BS, My Joy and my Crown, 30 Sr Esperie, BS, My Joy and my Crown, 34 12

case, He granted me a great mercy in my being sick; for since I would have looked after my comfort anyway, He desired that there be a reason for my doing so11. St John of the Cross is another example where suffering was part and parcel of his spiritual experience. The very title of his name Of the Cross indicates that Cross symbolized his life. Commenting on his life and suffering his admirer and beloved disciple Edith Stein writes, Cross for him was an experience, an experience of the divine presence amidst all trials and difficulties, it was an inner experience of the presence of the divine, a painful experience, nevertheless a fecund experience of God and his sure presence and power in his mystical life12. Fr Raymond also had to drink the chalice of suffering in order to attain the refinement of mystical spirituality. He had sufferings of various sorts: psychological and spiritual wherein he was misunderstood, misrepresented, misquoted. He was also having his physical sufferings. But the greatness of his person was that he had captured the point that a life without suffering was not worth living and this is so true in the life of a Christian and a disciple in particular. Thus his reactions towards sufferings were very positive. Sufferings in his eyes were necessary ingredients towards sanctity as he would say: sine dolore non vivere (without suffering, there is no living)13. Suffering he said is a must in our lives In this valley of tears the cross is necessarily our portion14. Spiritual life, much less mystical life cannot exist without suffering. Thus he says: sanctity presupposes suffering if the thermometer of suffering goes high our sanctity also rises likewise. To become a saint without suffering is unthinkable15. Sufferings should be seen positively and as supreme moments of spiritual elation. They are the spiritual springboards which propel us to reach higher towards Jesus himself. As he observes : physical pain, illness... failures, criticism, calumny, ridicule, mockery all this we must bear willingly, be glad that some occasion is given to us
11

St Theresa of Avila, Way of Perfection, Ch. 10, para. 6. in Collected Works, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh & Otlio Rodrigues, Washington D.C: 1980 12 Edith Stein, Science of the Cross (Washington D.C : ICS Publications, 1999), 24 13 Sr Esperie, BS (Ed), My Joy and my Crown, 41 14 Sr Bertha, BS (Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 106 15 Sr Bertha, BS (Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 106 13

to become like him16. He was so associated with a special devotion to Mother Mary that he found suffering was part and parcel of her life and by consequence was a share in the life of every one who comes close to Christ. To this effect he writes: Our blessed Mother is with me, it may be Calvary, but that is where our Lord and his Blessed Mother are and I am content to be where they are17. Suffering goes along with obedience. For Jesus it was to do the will of the Father and for this he was ready to bear at any time and cost any amount of sufferings. For Mother Mary she would say fiat and then bear all types of sufferings. Mystical spirituality is a spirituality wherein one embraces the crosses as will of God and endures all sufferings in utter obedience. This characteristic is so well seen in the lives of all great mystics and St John of the Cross the Spanish Carmelite mystic is an example par excellence. Msgr Raymond is not an exception to this feature of the spiritual life. He was misunderstood by the church authorities, forbidden to exercise his duties some times, misunderstood by his books and gestures, nevertheless he remained an obedient child to the Body of Christ, the Church. Even when he was asked to withdraw all the copies of the booklets he had written. It was a great humiliation for a man of his prominence to go round, bag in hand asking back the booklets he had distributed. But he subjected himself to it in obedience to Holy Mother the Church with great dignity and fortitude18. Obedience to the superiors was for him an external sign of inward spiritual strength. The one who obeys, believes, trusts, and endorses his whole self before the divine. Obedience is a surrender: We must obey all orders given by superiors. Obeying orders that are pleasing is not a virtue. But when some hardship is entailed in obeying an order, there comes our supernatural spirit19. Obedience in its pure form is not just a lip service in order to please the superior according to our author, for such obedience does not bear in-depth fruit. The real and genuine obedience is as he says: perfect which denotes obedience with understanding and will which means obedience with love and not
16 17

Sr Bertha, BS (Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 130 Sr Esperie, BS, My Joy and my Crown, 44 18 Sr Esperie, BS, My Joy and my Crown, 44 19 Sr Bertha, BS(Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 148 14

merely a duty with fear and trepidation. It is obedience with generosity as he rightfully quotes God loves a cheerful giver20. 7. Total Abandonment Humility according to Msgr Raymond is the foundation of all virtues. Our spiritual life will not be solid unless we build it on the rock of humility21. These words flowing from the ink of our Father only attest that he considered humility as the base of spiritual life and in fact it constitutes the foundation of any sort of mystical life and spirituality. A proud and arrogant person can never be a saint. Jesus as Saint Paul rightfully says: although he was in the form of God he emptied himself and took the form of a servant (Phil 2: 4). Jesus stripped himself of everything. He empties so that he could be filled with divine grace. He emptied so that God could come and abide in him. It is only when a cup is empty can it be filled with something. Self emptiness, self denial, self abandonment constitutes one of the focal points of mystical experiences. St John of Cross expresses this experience of self denial so marvelously in his famous dictum Todo Y nada (Everything and nothing). He declares: To reach satisfaction in all, desire its possession in nothing. To come to possess all, desire the possession of nothing22. When a person possesses what the world considers as everything, such as: money, wealth, power, in fact such a person becomes an empty and a noisy gong. Whereas when a person has nothing, when he totally surrenders, gives up fully, completely naked as Christ was on the cross then only one conquers everything. Such a person has the power of God so high that he possesses everything. This emptiness, is not really empty, it is filled with joy and the bountiful graces of God. St Therese of Avila had also understood and assimilated this aspect so well in her mystical experiences that she considered humility and self surrender as condition sine qua non of any mystical experience. She cautions her sisters that one should never boast of extra-ordinary phenomena in mystical experiences. If they are given, they should be accepted in
20 21

Sr Bertha, BS(Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 149 Sr Bertha, BS(Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 163 22 St John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Bk, I, Chapter, 13, Para, 11, in Collected Works of St John of the Cross, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh & otlio Rodrigues (Washington D.C : 1979), 103. 15

humility and used for the good and welfare of the Church. Besides, a genuine mystical experience can only be seen when a person is in utter humility and accepts humility as the truth. For her, prayer and humility go hand in hand. She speaks of the mystical experience as the journey of the soul into a castle with seven mansions and the key to enter this mansion is prayer, and the energy of the soul comes from humility. The souls in the First Mansion are in a state of grace, but are still very much in love with the venomous creatures outside the castle and they need a long and searching discipline before they can make any progress. So they stay for a long time in the Mansions of Humility so as to get spiritual heat and light from the divine master. The life and ministry of Msgr Mascarenhas testifies to a life filled with deep surrender to God and at the same time humility which he practiced through the virtue of obedience and poverty. His biography points towards a life of simplicity and obedience to the superiors. The genuine acceptability and hospitality he practiced were external signs of a person filled with inner spiritual dynamism. He himself confesses: Without humility we shall never be true religious; the deeper the humility, the greater the sanctity we will acquire23. Humility facilitates a profound and strengthened spiritual life. It is through humility that we can attain the height of spiritual perfection. Humility is the surest way to run in the way of perfection, whereas pride, self love is the greatest obstacle to attain perfect love of God24. Conclusion According to Karl Rahner, every human person is essentially mystical that is, one who is experientially drawn toward the God of mystery, revelation and love. Whether he explicitly and directly adverts to it or not, whether he opens himself to it or not, his whole life is directed to the God of mystery who has communicated himself as truth and love25. For this reason, Rahner does not emphasize a mysticism of interiority alone. He unhesitatingly says that every single facet of human existence contains an implicit experience of the triune God and the
23 24

Sr Bertha, BS(Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 164 Sr Bertha, BS(Ed), From the Lips of the Founder, 183 25 Karl Rahner, Mysticism in Encyclopedia of Theology (Mumbai : St Pauls Publications, 1975), 1010 16

crucified and the risen Christ. Rahners mysticism of daily life is a mysticism of joy in the world, therefore a faith that loves the earth. Richard Woods O.P. in one of his books predicts that mysticism of the future will be characterized by deeper relationship with the ordinary, integrity, sociality, science and technology, ecology and ecumenism26. Here one can see clearly that mysticism as a spiritual gift is available to all provided one remains faithful and committed to ones call and mission. The mystical life of Fr Raymond could be seen as an attempt to establish a deeper relationship with God in ordinary situations of life, allowing God to permeate all aspects of human life. Genuine love for God entails at the same time a genuine love for the neighbour, hence genuine mystical experience cannot ignore the love of neighbour. Hence mystical experience need not include always extra-ordinary or spectacular phenomena. A person in total self surrender to God and to the mission can experience in-depth experience of God. Hence one could speak of mystical experience in an ordinary sense. It is here I feel we can speak of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas as a genuine mystic, a mystic totally given to God and to his fellow human person in a spirit of self sacrifice and surrender. Mystical spirituality is the need of our times. It consists in a profound contact with God and a total self surrender to His holy will. Mystical life demands that a person does not value anything else than God as the uppermost desire of ones life. I have elucidated only a few glimpses of the mystical dimension of the spirituality of Monsignor Raymond Mascarenhas. It goes without saying that the more one discovers the life of this great spiritual leader the more one can unearth the spiritual depth of his life.

Richard Wood, O.P., Mysterion : An approach to Mystical Spirituality (Chicago : Thomas More Press, 1981), 357 17

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Bibliography
Bertha, BS, (Ed) From the Lips of the Founder. Mangalore: Bethany BS Publications, 1942. Coyle, Kathleen. SSC, Prophetic mysticism: the call of empowered women religious, in In Christo, July, 2008. Coyle, Kathleen. SSC, Prophetic Mysticism: The Call to Live Prophetically, in East Asian Pastoral Review, Vol. 45 (2008), No, 2. Esperie, M., BS, My Joy and my Crown: My Memories of Msgr R.F.C. Mascarenhas. Mangalore: Bethany Publications, 2003. Steven teven. Fanning, Steven Mystics of the Christian Tradition. London: Routledge, 2002. Thomas. Merton, Thomas The Ascent of Truth. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1951. orgrimler grimler. Rahner Karl & Herbert Vorgrimler Mysticism in Dictionary of Theology, N.Y., Crossroad, 1981. Stein, Edith. Science of the Cross. Washington D.C : ICS Publications, 1999. Cross. St John of the Cross Collected Works. trans. Kieran Kavanaugh & Otlio Rodrigues, Washington D.C. : 1979. vila. St Theresa of Avila Collected Works. trans. Kieran Kavanaugh & Otlio Rodrigues Washington D.C. : 1980. Underhill, Evelyn. Mysticism. New York: Dutton, 1961. Richard, OP, Wood, Richard OP Mysterion: An approach to mystical spirituality. Chicago, Thomas More Press, 1981.

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Servant of God Msgr Raymond The Pioneer Pastor of Bendur

Ivan Saldanha

At this point in time, Mangalore is a well known city all over the Globe. Over many years our Catholic population has not only gained a unique identity, but has a visible presence in practically every nation of the world. Most Konkani Catholics, Mangaloreans as they are known, enquire of each other when they meet as to which Parish (Phirgez) they come from. Probably this form of identity has a high value base since long, today BENDUR is often mentioned. St Sebastian Church the focus of the Parish has a reputed effect and brims over with a charisma and culture of its own. On 3rd June 2008, just about a year ago the pioneer and founding Parish Priest of Bendur - Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas was declared Servant of God SD Servus Dei by the Bishop of Mangalore Rt Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D Souza, with the approval of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints, Rome. Thus this pioneer priest of Bendur, the illustrious worker for the glory of God, has within a relatively short span of half a century, commenced the steep journey towards sainthood in the Catholic Church. Bendur earns a special place not only in the Diocese but also all through India and the Catholic world. The founding of a Parish in a full sense and its infrastructure is a colossal matter the hand of God is an indispensable fact, a reality and all the rest that follows! SD Msgr Raymond, (Raiimond in local phonetics) was deputed to the newly carved out Parish, one part from Rosario Cathedral and the other part from Milagres, mostly underdeveloped and barren areas outside the Municipal town limits of the time. The town was the area between Kodialbail and Mangaladevi, hugging the river shores. Bendur literally meant Barren Village in the lingua franca,Tulu. SD Msgr Raymond came to be deputed on a demand of the people, by Bishop Paul Perini, SJ who constituted this parish on 23 August 1914. It was indeed not by chance, but the design of Gods providence was visibly active from the very start. The unique personality of this our Compassionate Pastor as SD Msgr Raymond can be
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substantially called, would be seen from close quarters in the narrations in this dedicated publication from time to time. Now it is of importance that here we take a brief look at the times and issues that influenced the Catholic Church in Mangalore and Canara. THE TIMES AND TIDES Canaras sea face on the West is the Arabian Sea, the region is blessed with flowing rivers and natural wealth. Mangalore is the prime ancient port town. Historically, many powers have ruled and fought over the area. Mangalore is also known as Mangalapura, Mangaluru, Kudla and Kodial. Since the early 16 century this place has been lovingly adopted and populated by Konkani speaking Sarasvats who were respected and honoured by the Tuluvas. Many of these went on to accept the Catholic faith. In January 1568, the Vijayanagara Kings conceded the area to the Portuguese who had Goa already. It is believed that the first Holy Mass in Latin was celebrated on Mangalore soil in the area that is now Rosario at this time. In 1653 Ikkeris won possession of the Fort along the old Mangalore harbour; in 1763 the whole Ikkeri Kingdom went under Hyder Ali of Mysore. There was some exchange between Hyder and the British frequently, until it came under Hyders son Tippu Sultan in 1784. There are varying tales of Tippus mistrust of Canara Catholics, strangely motivating him to roundup the community from Mangalore Town and surroundings, on Ash Wednesday, 24 February 1784, identifying them by the ashes on their foreheads, holding them captive at Srirangapatnam for 15 years. Only after the British annihilated Tippu Sultan in 1799, the small sad band of Managalorean survivors returned to their ancestral lands but found it very difficult to retrieve lands, possessions and positions. There was gradual improvement in the fortunes of Mangalore Catholics with time and tide. SD Msgr Raymonds ascendants too were known to be captive at Srirangapatnam.
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Mangalore spread out in time and included the areas bound by Gurpur river to the North and Nethravati river to the south. The two oldest churches, Rosario and Milagres, were founded in 16th and 17th centuries respectively. These two churches constituted the parishes and covered the whole of Mangalore till late in the 19 century. Then divisions had to be made so that they could be managed properly. Urwa was
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formed in 1866, Kulur in 1888, Cordel in 1904, Bijai in 1912, BENDUR in 1914, Bondel in 1923. Then three new parishes came in 1935 Angelore, Cascia and Valencia, in 1939 Derebail, in 1944 Bajal, in 1951 Thannirbhavi and in 1981 Vamanjoor. The present Bendur Parish was founded in 1914, and its pioneer Vicar was none other than our illustrious Pastor SD Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas, who served for 17 years until 1931 when he was made the Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese. BUILDING THE STRUCTURES Ordained Priest for the Mangalore Diocese on 4 March 1900, the young Fr RFC Mascarenhas plunged into his loved labour for God. First as Assistant in Milagres- Mangalore, then Mount Rosary Kallianpur, 1903 to 1910, his first stint as Parish Priest at Udyavar transformed the very backward place into an active Parish with a church newly raised. In the midst of his work and worries the young Vicar found time to acquire lands for future churches like Siddakatte, Allipade and many more. His God given gifts and flair surfaced in ample measure earning him the reputation as a great builder! His qualities of head and heart edified the people; penance, prayer, compassion and love of his Master Jesus were a noticed nature. His next appointment from 1910 to 1914 was Vicar of Agrar. In four years Fr Raymond laboured there his lofty name and fame was not only consolidated but also widened peoples confidence in the God blessed abilities. All these blessings prompted the people to demand that he be awarded the difficult work of setting up Bendur Parish in Mangalore, a challenging task in those difficult times. August 1914, a time for Catholics of BENDUR to glorify the Lord! Those were the times of great deprivation in the area, no one was prosperous as earning potential at home was very low. Literally, a hut was the church, but Fr Raymond was full of zeal and plans on a piece of barren land. He was never known to trouble the struggling people, his goodness brought the parishioners and well wishers to contribute in spite of difficulty. Larger temporary sheds were built for the church liturgy, study of children and house for the vicar. In 1918, an area of 2 acres and 90 cents was bought for Rs. 4,380/- and building the structures began next to St Agnes School then. The sufferings and hardships that
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our saintly protagonist went through are beyond imagination in todays context; everything was lacking; poverty and sickness was rampant; development was at snail pace. It is beyond all imagination PICTURE OF ORIGINAL BENDUR CHURCH that today such advanced situation exists in this flourishing Bendur Parish with multifaceted spiritual service, a grace of the Most High. There is existing documentation of the many residents of the area who generously supported the establishment of the parish through hardships which will be impractical to list out here. In Jan 1919, the foundation was laid at the site and blessed. On 3 January 1930, the first Mangalorean Bishop, Rt Rev. Valerian D Souza blessed the Bendur Church, dedicated to St Sebastian who saved the city from serious pestilence. The next day the Bishop consecrated the marble altar. The activities in the parish grew tremendously, schools, vocational training, catechism classes, and associations for the pious and so on. But the singular and one closest to the heart of SD Msgr Raymond was the formation of the first and the only indigenous Congregation of nuns started by him as Founder, on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16 July 1921, The Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany commonly known as Bethany Sisters of Mangalore. It genuinely astonished people to see the spiritual and Christian spirit springing up at Bendur! The original church and belfry has undergone several makeovers and alterations on which there are views but it is beyond the scope of this article for details. It is worthy for modern times to note that the sacred efforts and labour of love of our ancients, the likes of Msgr Raymond, that gave us and our city sacred spaces like Bendur and the city of Mangalore the title Rome of the East. In March 1930, marking the twin jubilees of Msgr. Mascarenhas (50 years as Priest and 75th Birthday) a leading catholic of Mangalore Mr J.P. Rego felicitating the jubilarian fittingly said, An Archbishop
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admiring the institutions of Mangalore described them as magnificent; the work of great masters, Fr A. Muller founded the hospital and asylums, Msgr Colaco set up St Anthonys Poor Homes for the destitutes, Mother Aloysia established the expansion of the Apostolic Carmel, Fr U. Stein founded the Ursuline Sisters at Rosario, the illustrious Msgr Raymond the flourishing Parish like Bendur and the entirely local Bethany order for educating the people! Putting it in the words of Msgr Raymond, Do well whatever you do; do it for God and God alone, and your life will be a continual canticle of Praise, a continual Gloria Patri. SPIRITUAL MONUMENTS The strength of a Christian community lies in its spiritual exercises and orientation. SD Msgr RFC Mascarenhas was not only a man of God and prayer to the core as many can testify, he continually asked his flock in the Parish to rise spiritually and resort to prayer at all times. There is ample evidence that even before the church was built with mortar and stone at this new parish, the Vicar raised spiritual groups in the Catholic tradition of the times. The liturgy in those times, the Mass in particular was said in Latin, which was hardly understood. Very soon our Fr Raymond set about translating the New Testament into Konkani, hymns and devotions into Konkani and/or English realizing the vitality. Asif to endose his efforts almost soon after his death, the II Vatican Council came out with initiating church liturgy in the local language; his approach was simply but prophetic, in this regard. Catholic prayer and action was paramount in Bendur from the very outset- this gave momentum to many graces to all. The services he has rendered to Konkani as a language are unforgettable. No one can deny the fact that SD Msgr Mascarenhas historic and divine inspired gesture is the Founding of the Congregation of BETHANY SISTERS apart from his work in erecting the Bendur Parish from scratch. The words on record from Msgrs nephew Fr Charles Mascarenhas of Allahabad, for the Jubilee Souvenir in 1950, can be quoted to set this aspect at rest for now- About his Magnum Opus, the Bethany Congregation, I shall say nothing, because more able pens than mine will have a great deal to write about.
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There is a long procession of the Pious Societies and Associations Msgr Raymond set up in the Parish from day one, a few prominent points can be reflected here for the benefit of the interested, further reading will figure in this publication in the future surely. One of the first to commence at Bendur Parish was the Altar Boys Society and Catechism classes for children followed by basic schooling which was not easily available in those times. Msgrs great love and concern was for vocations and to this end he laboured a great deal and for decades vocations from Bendur were a plenty before new trends took over still vocations have always been a tradition in Bendur and it had been an exemplary situation. By the way Rev. Fr Basil Peres, as priest served for 4 months in 1952 and was then called to the Bishops House, he became Bishop of Mangalore in 1955. The St Vincent de Paul Society first invaded Mangalore through Bendur in 1926, with some of the laity taking front roles. Now this Society is most active and dynamic in many spheres in this diocese. A talented choir under various heads has existed since its inception. Legion of Mary in 1921, Catholic Action Group in 1934, Ladies Catholic Life Society in 1937, Soldiers of Jesus (for children), Ladies Social Service League in 1959, Secular Franciscan Sabha in 1963. With prominent members in the forefront major projects such as in 1972 housing for the poor under Prem Nagar Housing; Mass Marriage an annual feature under the banner of Vincent de Paul was a brain child of Msgr Raymond it seems. As Bendur approaches its centenary year in August 2014, it is edifying that many shining stars of the Konkani Catholics world-wide have their roots in and around BENDUR PARISH! Decades ago it was Msgr Mascarenhas who set the tone for public services and gave prime example himself. He organized several schools not only in Bendur but also in far flung areas, through the Bethany Sisters this mission was enlarged greatly. He was for several years a respected member of the Civil District Education Board and its spokesperson for vital representations to top government dignitaries. As a member of the Mangalore Municipality, he has been of service to the Society and church in tremendous ways. Thus he has given true meaning to prayer by action in proportionate measure which was Christs main message of good neighbourliness!
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EMOTIONS FROM EXPERIENCES It is a well known fact that great people and saints just as Jesus Christ did, touch hearts and continue to touch them towards good nonstop! Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas has not only done that all through life but also after his death on 23 December 1960- through the tiny plant he nursed now a huge treeBethany a m o n g m a n y institutions that continue his ideals and inspirations consistently. TWIN JUBILEE IN MARCH 1950 An ideal way to conclude is perhaps to recollect at what prominent people of old have said during the twin Jubilee in March 1950 (75 years of age and 50 years of Priesthood) on the life and qualities of our great Servant of God. L.C. Pais says, Men are either knowers, sayers or doers as per Emerson - Msgr is really a great man, who is a knower, sayer and a doer. Then, It was however at Bendur that his work as Parish Priest had its full significance. For 17 years, he was the Vicar of Bendur. He acquired new sites, put up buildings and started schools. He served the poor, founded convents and continued to even after he went as Vicar General in 1931. Again he adds, Fr Mascarenhas was a sound administrator, a learned Canonist, a lucid writer, and a powerful Preacher in English and Konkani. He generates both heat and light. His retreats brought the fear of God into people. Such were the deep sentiments of people of those times. Sr. Olinda Pereira, a grand niece and prominent personality: In early childhood, our grand-uncles visits to our home were hailed with
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great joy. Something inexplicable radiated from that quiet figure which spoke very gently and deliberately. She adds, I have had the opportunity of hearing Fr Mascarenhas preach only on two occasions. One, at a ceremony in a convent, has made an indelible impression in my mind. I seem to hear his words even today. This she wrote in 1950. From the address by the parishioners on his elevation as Vicar General before he left the Bendur Parish on 23 August 1931: . . . You dear Fr have given us so many graces in spiritual and material ways. . . Then this very big church building, the very beautiful marble altar, several schools, the Bethany Congregation spread all over the district, how did all this come into existence from nothing, there is more than Rs. 75,000/- worth property! We admire after God how you have worked these miracles like the multiplication of the loaves, we not only feel indebted to you but tears flood our eyes as you are leaving us, a lot more continues. The great upright upholders of truth, integrity, ethics and the like, never fail to face controversies, trials and opposition akin to Christ Jesus- for Satan never sleeps- Jesus story is proof enough! Msgr Raymond as it is known faced his share of trials and tribulations; his faith and personal piety anchored in prayer saw him through every step of the way. His devotion to his Master in all things was heroic! His journalistic prowess was famous, he was called the Apostle of the Media in those early times of the press in Mangalore. He not only is associated with several early publications, but is considered a prodigy of writing. He has authored more than a dozen books of prayer and meditation and translated scores of Latin and English hymns into Konkani for the good of the local people. He is also considered as a man widely travelled in times when travel was very difficult. In June 1955 SD Msgr Mascarenhas was conferred with the singular Papal honour of Domestic Prelate by Pope Pius XII in recognition of heroic services to the Church in general. In conclusion it is of worth to glance at opinions expressed by well known people, the contemporaries of Msgr Raymond: L.C. Pais, the famous legal luminary ended his address on the occasion of the Twin Jubilee, March 1950 with weighty words of Sir Mirza Ismail, Rich debtors to the poor, the educatedthe debtors to the
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ignorant, the happy and comfortable debtors to those who suffer. Well, if all such human debtors recognised and paid their debts, how swift would progress be? Fr Charles Mascarenhas, Msgrs nephew recalls how the popular James Saldanha, who no one can call a flatterer always held up Msgr Raymond as Priest full of wisdom, of holiness and of the Holy Ghost. Key personalities of the then high profile Catholic Association of South Canara (CASK) of which Msgr Raymond was President from 1931 to 1941- at the special Twin Jubilee honour bestowed on Msgr, said as follows: M.S. Sreshta, particularly referring to services to education, Few are of the kind of Msgr., not satisfied with doing the mere common tasks and daily rounds, but continually see visions, plans and schemes. They are the salt of the earth. He then continues, In a letter to Rev. Fr Mascarenhas, the late Bishop Raymond of Allahabad has written, Not your diocese alone but the whole church of India and particularly the Indian Bishops and priests are proud of what you have done, and regard you as an outstanding priest of the generation. . . At the same celebration: J.P. Rego: The name of Fr Mascarenhas would loom large in the pages of the history of the Diocese of Mangalore as a priest and man of many achievements for the community and country. Rao Saheb A L Pinto too on continues the same note. The people of Bendur in their felicitation address have recorded many wonderful noteworthy services of Msgr to quote a small part, Hundreds of dignitaries, archbishops, bishops, priests and people from all parts of the world have greeted you on this great occasion indicating your fame and recognition wide. The Cardinal Prefect of the Society for the Propagation of Faith in the Vatican, Cardinal Fumasoni-Biondi, on behalf of the Papal palace, has sent you a letter of thanks recognizing the great things you achieved. But, for us at Bendur the reality that you created something out of nothing, on a barren hill will stand for the representation of Christ and His works for all time. As a finale, please let me place before you, from the Book Msgr Raymond- A Mystic and a Prophet by Sr Bertha, BS, who knew the Servant of God during her religious life for 30 years before his death,
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and even before as a parishioner of St Sebastians Church, Bendur , part of a verse: Our salutations to you, thou city of Mangalore, Revered as Rome of the East Your illustrious priest-son, Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas On July sixteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-one With childlike trust in GOD and Mother Mary Sowed just one little seed, O Mangalore! Finaly, it is fitting to glorify God and people quoting the first line of the Laudate in Latin which was a favourite prayer of Msgr Raymond be in joy, gladness or sorrow, and adopted by catholicsof old. -: Laudate Dominus, Omnes Gentes, Omnes Populi : ( Praise the Lord, Praise all nations, Praise all people)

Ivan Saldanha, a lay person Citizen Journalist has often written on the life of Msgr Mascarenhas. Having laboured in parts of India and overseas, is now living in Mangalore. He regularly contributes articles to News Papers, Magazines, Bulletines etc., on local community and histrory. He feels Hagiography the saintliness of people is significant, a Mangalorean bound for sainthood is long due and a benediction.

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Fr Mascarenhas and His Devotions

The Late Sr M Violette, BS
MA., PhD

When Father Raymond Mascarenhas was ordained as a priest of God on 4 March 1900, his one determination was to spend his life for the God who loved him and who had chosen him to be his son like Jesus whom he had sent into the world to bring salvation to every one. Those who knew him at that time describe him as unusually a fervent young man. He felt that this Jesus, the Son of the Eternal Father had called him to work for His Abba as Jesus was. So, he kept before his minds eye, Jesus, the one sent by the Father, and from the very beginning he worked with him, for him and like him. My close contact with Father Founder convinced me from his talk, his actions and in his spiritual direction to me that the only reason he was doing what he did was because if Jesus was in Mangalore he would have done so many things, borne so many hardships for us. But he has now given us the privilege to be in his place and to do what He would have done. He felt he could not let Him down. Naturally, just as Jesus loved and worked as an ordinary carpenter, and worked as a member of a working mans family, he too desired to work hard for whatever he achieved. Although he belonged to a middle class professional family he valued and appreciated manual work, simplicity of life and lived like a poor man labouring for his daily bread like all poor people of India. That was the spirit that animated him and it never left him even to his last days. Many of his problems stemmed from the fact that he thought everyone was like him animated with a desire to work, serve, and help others. His Childlike Devotion to Our Lady: In his desire to live a simple life like Jesus he looked for models that he could emulate easily. He loved much Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
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I was touched and was edified by his childlike and faith-filled devotion to Our Blessed Mother (whom he lovingly called Mother - Mai) and I wanted very much to imitate him. He had given Mary to the Bethany Institute as its queen and mother and he was thoroughly convinced that Bethany was the work that Jesus, the great lover of Bethany had entrusted to her. He called Bethany, Our Blessed Mothers Garden. He reminded the sisters in and out of season that she is expert gardener and she will not tolerate any rotten plants in her garden; certainly she will weed them out. So, his frequent advice was to listen to Mary and to do whatever she tells you. The tell-tale marks of his love and devotion to the Holy Mother of God are all over Bethany. As we enter the Bethany parlour and climb the first step we see the statue of our Blessed Mother ready to welcome us- and the words from his favourite hymn Ave Maris Stella- Show Thyself a Mother (Monstra Te Esse Materem). Commenting on those words he would say often She will show herself to be your mother, but do you show yourself and behave as her child? It was his desire to show his love for her that all the important works of the Institute were undertaken or inaugurated on a Marian Feast Day or on a Saturday- a week - day dedicated to Mary. When he served as Bethany Chaplain, every Marian Feast had to be celebrated with love, devotion and due preparation. Preparations for all feasts were in the form of novenas or Mass to join us in praying the novena prayers. After receiving the Decree of Establishment of Bethany was promulgated and the novitiate was inaugurated and the first batch of novices was to be admitted to it, it was customary at that time to change our baptismal names to some religious name. He gave the novices- to be, names from the Litany of Loreto- each name being a title of Our Blessed Mother. e.g., We had Sisters Potence, Consilia, Stella, Anna etc., and finally when he ran out of the invocation, of Litany of Loreto to choose names from, he had recourse to the Salve Regina- and the last three sisters were called Sisters Clemence, Pia and Dulcise.
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At the end of the Marian year 1954, he had made a long list of Marian feasts (major and minor, well known and little known). He encouraged each sister to select a Marian feast and celebrate it as if it was her own special day. When the II Vatican Council revised the Liturgical and sanctoral calendars some of these feasts were dropped and others were moved from their original date to another date. Nevertheless, it is still a sense of satisfaction for me to celebrate my own chosen feast day of Mary. It is something between Mary, my Mother, and me, her child. Every new house of the Congregation was not only opened on Marys (Saturday) or on her feast day but was also named after some attributes of her. (e.g. Maryvale Convent) or a place made sacred by association with Mary- e.g. Massabielle Convent, Lourdes Convent, Genezzano Convent etc.,), the only exception was the first house which was dedicated to the second patroness (Lisieux Convent) because she was to be canonized that year. When new Marian devotions or older devotions with newer emphasis appeared in the Church calendars, he was sure to encourage and adopt it when and where possible these devotions. e.g., Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was because of Our Ladys request to the three Fatima children to say the prayer she taught, Father Founder asked the Bethany Sisters to repeat it after each decade of the rosary prayer - this prayer request by our Blessed Mother O my God, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of your mercy. Whatever our Blessed Mother asked of anyone, he took it as accepted of him personally and he would try to oblige her in whatever way she could. In order to make sure that Saturdays would remain definitely a day consecrated to our Blessed Mother, he asked the sisters to spend a few minutes with Mary by reading about her short excerpts from a book someone had sent to him.

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He prescribed the sisters to pray the five decades (each decade of ten Hail Marys) of the Rosary, but recommended and encouraged that we pray the entire fifteen decades whenever time permitted us. To ignite their fervour he gave them prayer to be prayed to obtain the grace of each decade. How delighted he would have been if he was alive to read the letter of Pope John Paul II on the Rosary and the five Mysteries of Light! With what delight he would have planned and spent this year of the Rosary! Very often he would come to the chapel on the eve of Marian Feasts to give the sisters short exhortation on the mystery/feast we were celebrating, to stir their fervour! He installed the Via Matins (The Seven Stations to honour the Seven Sorrows of our Blessed Mother) at the rear end of the chapel. On Sundays and holidays, we the student sisters would pray these stations after the noon angelus and the particular examine of conscience. He would come and join us. His devotion to the Green Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were well known. He encouraged these devotions without making a fetish out of them. The date of the First and Second Chapter of Elections were fixed by the Bishop of our Diocese, who also was its President. However, when the Congregation was able to fix its own date, he encouraged the superiors to make sure the Election of the Superior General and her Councillors would be held on April 26 (the Feast of Mother of Good Counsel). He had great devotion to the Mother of God under this title and made me often sing the hymn in her honour- while he quietly relaxed in his easy chair. Since the last line of every verse says, Mother tell me what am I to do? at the end, he would smile and say: Now dont say, Mother, tell me what am I to do? and then go and do whatever you want to do. (to be continued)
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The Compassionate Pastor

James D Souza, Bangalore The word Compassion I believe is derived from the Latin word, cum (with) + patior (to suffer). Compassion means to suffer with, to share solidarity with, to show deep sympathy and real sorrow for the suffering of another or others, accompanied by an urge to help and to show mercy. The word Compassion encompasses, among other things, poverty, ignorance, and illness- not necessarily in that order. Triggered by the awareness of suffering people, compassion propels a person into action on their behalf by offering all possible comfort, healing or empowerment within the confines of a particular situation. Reaching out in compassion enables to understand others with deep empathy without condemnation. It moves a person into constructive action to alleviate their suffering. Monsignor Raymond was moved with compassion to alleviate the ignorance and poverty of his flock. Ignorance can be the off-shoot to illiteracy or lack of education. For Msgr Raymond, from the very outset, education of his young parishioners in Bendore was a dream, which translated itself into reality, in the establishment of two schools in the Parish, one each for boys and girls. Incidentally, St Sebastians Higher Elementary School, which he established, was my Alma Mater for 8 years (1934-1942). And, am I proud of it! Education is the tool that nurtures and expands human intellect, which in turn, encourages higher learning, landing jobs, businesses, thus creating more jobs, more opportunities. Here is our great Servant of God, with his mighty vision of tackling poverty, a hundred years ago. It is a hard reality that we certainly need money for survival, and one has to earn it, taking good advantage of any help that comes ones way.
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The establishment of a handloom weaving industry in Bethany was his idea of scoring two objectives. First, it was part of his wiser vision of imparting training in a trade to aspiring youngsters, including inmates of Bethany, in the art of handloom weaving. And second, to augment the finances for the Institution. My grandfather, the late Rozario Domingo DSouza (1970-1956) and his three younger brothers were all handloom weavers. I remember, the youngest of them Marian DSouza giving voluntary service to the weaving establishment in Bethany, at times consulting my grandfather on some professional problems. However, when this enterprise took a heavy toll on the delicate health of the inmates it was closed down.

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From the Letters of Fr Raymond Mascarenhas

July 15, 1928 My dearest children in Our Lord, Tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel and is the Seventh Anniversary of the Foundation of Bethany, our dear Institute. On this happy day my heart goes to each and every one of the dear Sisters whom our dear Lord and His Blessed Mother have been pleased to entrust to my care under the protection of His Little Flower. I cannot but remember in a particular manner those who are far from me as to place, but who are therefore all the closer to me in the Sacred Heart of Our Lord. Let us on this day my dear children thank Our Lord and His Blessed Mother and their Little Flower for having taken care of us during all this time, and for the numerous blessings which they have been pleased to bestow upon us. Let us offer ourselves to their service with still greater generosity to accomplish to the best of our power whatever they may demand of us. Let us also pray with all possible fervour that Our Lord may bless Bethany and make it permanently the home which He loves and which loves Him. My Blessing to each and everyone.

Your father in Christ, Sd/- (RFC Mascarenhas)

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Favours Received from 1998 to 1999 through the Intercession of the Servant of God Raymond FC Mascarenhas Published in Raknno, the Konkani Weekly of Mangalore Diocese
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I have received back my health through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. My heartfelt thanks to him. - Mattilda Nazareth. Received favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him. - Prakash D Souza, Permannur Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God. I continue to pray for still more favours. - Anthony Dennis Monteiro Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God - Pius D Souza, Mangalore Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My heartfelt thanks to him. I continue to pray for still more favours. - L D Souza, Attavar Thanks for the favours received through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas - Pulimkkal Family, Chathencottunada, Calicut Dist Received a Favour through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him. I am praying for still more favours. - Anthony Dennis Monteriro, Kulur Received favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him. - Sr Monica Rebello,BS and family, Puttur, Samathdka
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Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God. I continue to pray for still more favours. - Meena D Souza, Pacchanady We have received several favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Our sincere thanks to him. - Bethany Sisters, Maryvale Convent, Kinnigoly Received favours through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas and the Little Flower. My heartfelt thanks to him. -Sr Lillybeth, BS Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. - Melwyn Gonsalves, Bajjodi (Mascat) Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas better health is restored. My sincere thanks to him. Please for my complete recovery. - Shrimati Lilly Gonsalves, Bajjodi Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received Sr Azella, BS Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. - A Bethany Sister Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. Sr. Gratian, BS Received favour through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him. -Sr Victoria, BS Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. Sr Annie Francis, Kerala
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1998/29

Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarrenhas for favours received. - Sr Tara, BS, Ramdas, Punjab Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God - William Castelino, Nakre Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. - Sr Caroline, Kulshekar Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received. - Rudolph D Souza, Dubai Received favour through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him - Marie Veigas, Munnur Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received - P.M. Mangalore Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhs, Bethany founder for the favours received. - Sr Anseline, Rosa Mystica Novitiate Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, Bethany founder for the favours received - Sr Cicilia Mendonca, Rosa Mystica Convent Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond we have received two favours. Our sincere thanks to him - Sr Jeevitha, BS and Bethany Sisters, Kinnigoly Received favours. Sincere thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. - Praveen Vas, Hirebail Received favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him Sr Rosette, BS
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1998/30

1998/31

1998/32

1998/33

1998/34

1998/35

1998/36

1998/37

1998/38

1998/39

1998/40

Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God. - Thomas DAlmeida & Family, Nakre Received two special favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him. - Sr Smitha and Bethany Sisters, Rome Thanks for the favours received through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. - Sr Esuria Sincere Thanks to Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas for the favour received. - Pushparaj Jogi, Gurpur My grateful thanks for the favours received through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas. - Sr Lilian, BS Received favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. My heartfelt thanks to him. - Insu Vas and Family, Muchhur Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for receiving all the favours. Sorry for the delay. - Sr Felsy, BS, Bethany Convent, Bangalore Our grateful thanks to Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas for saving us from an accident. - Basrikatte Sisters Sincere Thanks to Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas for the favour received. - Sr Macrina, BS, Bethany, Mangalore Received favours through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas. Our heartfelt thanks to him - Mr & Mrs. Shanthi D Souza, Deradka My heartfelt thanks to Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas for the favour received. - Sr Monica, Tacode
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Favours Received
A Baby through the Intercession of the Servant of God Raymond
We, Shaju and Deepa native of Kerala acknowledge the favour received through the intercession of Fr Raymond FC Mascarenhas, the Servant of God. We were married 8 years ago and had no children. We tried all medical aid and prayed to different sources. One of our aunts Sr Ann Maria BS of Bethany Convent, Chevayur who is a great devotee of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas prayed earnestly through the intercession of the Msgr Raymond. She also prayed at the Bethany Founders cottage where his remains are kept. We started praying through the intercession of the Servant of God in January 2008. Deepa conceived in February 2008 and delivered a baby boy in September. We are very grateful to Fr Raymond for answering our prayers.

Shaju and Deepa Kizhararakatt House Koombara P.O Calicut

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Stress-free Medical Examination

When recently, my wife and I, applied for a temporary visa to visit our daughter in a foreign country, both of us, being 75 and 80 years of age respectively, were directed by the Embassy to undergo a health checkup by that Countrys designated Medical Officer. Naturally, we were a bit scared and apprehensive because few years earlier, we had been put through a rigorous medical check for a similar purpose, without any damage fortunately. And that was when we were both 5 years younger! In between, I, with a few of my family members, happened to visit the local Provincial House of the Congregation of Bethany Sisters, whose Founder, the Very Rev Msgr RFC Mascarenhas had recently been declared a Servant of God. I was very close to Msgr. Mascarenhas for a period of time at Mangalore. Entering the parolur of the Provincialate, my eyes fell on the imposing photograph of this great man, adorning the wall, and instantly, I felt I was standing in front of Msgr Mascarenhas, in person, as I used to some sixty odd years ago. I could not take my eyes off the photograph while talking to the Sr. provincial and other sisters, when willy-nilly, the subject of our medicals scheduled for the next day, came up. The good nuns wished us well for our impending medicals and assured us of their prayers for this intention through the intercession of their beloved Founder. From that moment till we entered the doctors chambers the next afternoon, we felt that our good Father Mascarenhas who is now exalted Servant of God, was with us, constantly saying I am with you and giving us the courage we needed at that time. What happened next was, as we definitely felt it, a miracle- so to say it was just a surprise would be too mild for it, our good God working through His great servant as assured by his beloved sisters
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the previous day. Instead of a few fire works, which we had expected, the doctor was so kind and considerate while examining us and finally saying Your few ailments are age related. Dont worry about it and carry on with the medication you are used to. Have a nice holiday with your daughter and come back. We wish to put this on record, with the wish and hope that more and more Gods people and followers/admirers of Msgr Mascarenhas will be touched by him and report of bigger favours received from God through his intercession and thus hasten the Cause of his Beatification and Canonization. Mr & Mrs J. D Souza No. 2, C.K. Garden, St Thomas Town 10 October 2008 Bangalore 560 084

Healing without Operation

My husband was suffering from Cancer of the tongue. He was operated for it. At that time he got peri-anal abscess. That pain was unbearable. Doctor told him to undergo an operation, if medicines do not work. He also said that only God could heal him and gave strong medicines because it was difficult to undergo one more surgery in the same month.

Lancy Lobo

We asked everyone to pray for him. In the meantime a sister from Bethany Convent gave me the prayer for the Beatification of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas. I started praying to him without fail. So after 10 days my husband was completely alright and doctor was surprised and congratulated us PRAISE THE LORD! 22-1-2009 OCTAVIA LOBO Faridabad, Haryana
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Miracles do Happen
If we have faith, miracles do happen. I am Mrs Sonia Talwar, a teacher of St Theresas Convent School, Karnal, Haryana narrating this incident that happened in my family. My six year old son Rajveer a student of K.G. who was hale and hearty complained of stomach ache one day. He was taken to the doctor and on examining him the doctor said that it was cancer and hence advised us to shift him Rajeev Gandhi Cancer Hospital, New Delhi. He was given chemotherapy and he lost his hair and the luster of his face. Everything was frustrating. When we were feeling very much discouraged and dejected we got a telephonic call from Sister Reshmi, the Principal asking us to pray through the intercession of Bethany Founder Msgr RFC Mascarenhas and the prayer would be answered. So we started to pray to God through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, the Servant of God. The Sisters too prayed, and lo and behold, though it was a high risked surgery, when operated the doctors found the case very promising. My child was completely cured and is now attending his class with his friends. We thank the Founder Msgr RFC Mascarenhas who wrought this miracle in our childs life, gave him a new life, and increased our faith.

December 2008

Sonia Talwar St Theresas Convent School Karnal 132 001(HR)

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Grace of Cure
From two years I have been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, which incapacitated me from walking freely. I could not lift my hands either. I prayed to our Founder, the Servant of God now, to set me free from this trouble. I am happy to give this testimony to the favour I have received. I am able to walk now and to lift my hands since a month. I am 88 years old and I have known our Founder closely. I thank God for granting me this favour through his intercession. Sr M. Peace BS Madodnna Convent Kolasib, Mizoram

22-7-2008

THE COMPASSIONATE PASTOR

Published twice a year in July and December. No subscription. Donations will be gratefully accepted to meet the expenses of printing, mailing and the process of Canonization. Donations and offerings may be sent to the address given below. Cheques/drafts may be made in favour of: Cause of Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas. We invite your experiences for possible inclusion in this bulletin. 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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