Moodbidri Deanery News

January 22, 2018 : Catholic Sabha started in Moodbidri Deanery in 1992 - 93 is on the verge of Silver Jubilee. The silver jubilee grand finale celebrations along with Catholic Samajotsav are scheduled to be held on January 28, 2018 at 3.30pm at Alangar Church grounds. Displaying the unity and strength of the community , thoughts on Inter-religious harmony and hence esablishing a peaceful and empowered community are main objetives of this Catholic convention.

Mangalore Bishop Aloysius Paul DSouza will preside over the programme. Many leaders who gave able leadership to the community at various capacities will be present. The chief guest will be Catholic Sabha Diocesan Founder President and Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes. Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh President Anil Lobo will deliver keynote address on vision and future of Catholic Sabha.

The honourable guests are Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh  Spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Mathew Vas,  Moodbidri Deanery Dean V. Rev. Fr. Paul Sequeira,  MLC & Chief Whip - Karnataka Govt Ivan DSouza, MLA J.R. Lobo, Former Minister and MLA K. Abhayachanadra Jain, Former Minister K. Amaranatha Shetty , Zilla Panchayat Member Sucharitha Shetty and Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh President Valerian Fernandes.

On this special occasion , the Catholic Community will felicitate five achievers excelled in various fileds.

In support of Catholic Samajotsav, the procession of "Horekanike" will be held on Friday, January 26, 2018 at 3.30 pm from Swaraj Maidan Moodbidri to Alangar Church grounds. Catholic Sabha units from various parishes and deaneries will participate in this procession.

Felicitation to the 5 Achievers:

Bishop Peter Sebastian Goveas
Bishop Peter Sebastian Goveas is the bishop of Bettiah Diocese, Bihar. He was born on 8 February 1955 at Hosabettu, Hospet, Mangalore, in southern India’s Karnataka state.

After completing his secondary school, he entered St. John’s Regional Minor Seminary, Bhagapur to become a priest for the Diocese of Bhagalpur. He had his philosophy studies at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi and at Morning Star College, Barrackpore, West Bengal state and his theology at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bhagalpur on December 9, 1983.

Father Goveas served the diocese in several capacities as parish priest, administrator of schools and diocesan consulter. In 2013 he became the Vicar General of the Diocese of Bhagalpur, an office he continued until named bishop. 

Ronald Colaco
Ronald Colaco is a NRI businessman based in Dubai, whose ancestors originally hailing from Moodbidri in Mangaluru taluk. He started his professional career in Oman during 1975 and worked in 8 Gulf and European countries starting as an accountant and moved on to become head of accounts, head of accounts and administration and financial controller. He was elevated as commercial CEO for a consortium of 3 multinational corporates like CCICL based in Athens, Greece, Mannesmann of Germany and Saipemof Milano, Italy, involved in turn-key projects such as construction of world class petro-refineries, gas processing and re-injection plants, townships and airports.

He put his rich experience in diverse capacities to good use to become an entrepreneur and since then it has been a saga of success all the way. Through his business acumen, hard work, dedication and disciplined approach Ronald Colaco has become a successful entrepreneur of great repute.

Apart from being a successful entrepreneur in his own right, Ronald Colaco has been very active in promoting socio-cultural, charitable and philanthropic activities in his endeavour to give back to the society that he has come from, in a big way. His largesse has benefitted the poor and the needy people and various institutions and organisations irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion and language. He has been a pioneer in providing infrastructure facilities for the benefit of the larger public and has set a precedent for others to follow. Many MNC’s and Corporates followed in his footsteps to carry out their corporate social responsibility, resulting in creating essential international standard infrastructure in the State. He says “these acts of caring and sharing have taught me to find so much of satisfaction, happiness and compassion within me and to stay attached to the values that are connected to the common good”.

Colaco has been the recipient of a number of national and international awards in recognition of his charitable and philanthropic activities including the prestigious award from the office of The Prime Minister of Australia through CSIA which conferred the “2015 International Recognition Award for Leadership in Service Excellence” at the Australian Service Excellence award ceremony held in Melbourne in 2015, the only person chosen for this prestigious award internationally from among 80 countries. 

Valentine D' Souza
In September 2016 State department of home affairs promoted Valentine D' Souza, who worked previously as police inspector at city crime branch (CCB) in Mangaluru commissionerate as deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in City Crime Record Bureau (CCRB) Mangaluru.

Valentine D' Souza is a resident of Kallianpur Santhekatte in Udupi district. He has become popular for taking strict action against underworld and crime world elements. He has been a challenge for anti social elements. His service has been conducive for the law and order in the district.

He has worked in different capacities as sincere police officer in Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts. 

 Eric Correa
Eric Alfred Correa , the philanthropist  ,  runs a firm that gives generators on rent and along with this business, he purchases land, builds houses and donates them to the needy, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. His projects Souharda Nagar I and II have provided housing to several needy families. Eric had singlehandedly built and donated 34 houses to some of the poorest in Souhardha Nagar in Padumarnadu village in Moodibidri 2012. He followed it up with the second project wherein 31 houses were donated to the poor at Puthige Village in Paladka in phase 1 of the project in April 2013.

Third such project Souharda Nagar III from Sauharda Foundation was launched at Murkathpalke in Guddeyangadi of Beluvai Grama panchayat on Sunday, May 14, 2017  wherein 32 houses were donated to the poor.

About Eric Correa and Souharda Foundation : Eric Correa who has come up in a hard way starting his career as an office boy slowly graduating to have his own business, has set an inspiring example for others to emulate. A little inspiration he received by taking a cue from others and incidents of his own life prompted him to do something to help those in need of homes. While people usually are able to feed and clothe themselves, having a home of their own is a dream for many and Eric decided to build houses for these people and help realize their dreams. The result was Souharda Nagar.

Eric Correa had started his work of gifting houses to the deserving poor on a silent note, his gesture came in for appreciation from all quarters. His work has not only won the appreciation of the beneficiaries but has also inspired philanthropists and benefactors who extended their heartfelt support both moral and financial for 2nd and 3 phase of project.

After the first project of Sauharda Nagar -1, Souhardha Foundation, at trust was started and managed by Eric Correa with his friends Louis J Pinto, Titus A Noronha, John L D’Souza and Fr J B Saldanha as trustees. 

Michelle Queenie D’Costa
Michelle Queenie D’Costa, an engineering graduate secured All India Rank 387th in the Civil Services Examination 2015 conducted by Union Public Service Commission.

Michelle Queenie D’Costa comes from Niddodi, a village in Neerude in Mangaluru taluk, 20 kilometres away from city. Her father, Lazarus D’ Costa is a farmer at Neerude near Moodbidri. Her mother Hancy Felcy D’Costa is a home-maker. Michelle Queenie D’Costa has one elder sister and a younger brother. 

History of Catholic Sabha

Catholic Sabha Mangaluru Pradesh is a strong laity organization which came into being on 29th April 1979 in the then undivided diocese of Mangaluru. Rajya Sabha MP and former central minister Oscar Fernandes was the founder president of Catholic Sabha and late Fr Stanley Pereira was the founder spiritual director.  Most Rev. Dr. Basil S. D’souza, was the Bishop of Mangalore at that time.

The Aim of the Catholic Sabha:

Service, sacrifice and Unity.

Its mission as per the desire of the second Vatican council, the laity and the religions conjointly forming an organized, strong and alert community for the good of the community and for the great glory of god.

Basic objective:

• Organization through awareness.
• Christians should be in the main stream of the society without remaining secondary.
• Should be active in native building
• Should raise the standard of living of the brothers and sisters of our community
• Should give support to them at the time of their anxieties and needs.
• Should improve their educational, social, economic and cultural standards.
• Keeping these objectives in mind a particular them should be taken every year and plans should be formulated and work must be done to achieve this theme.
• So far 20 central presidents have given their valuable services to the sabha. It is our hope that many more such presidents may come in the times to come.

Present work

The catholic Sabha continues to do its good work through

• “Amcho Sandesh” periodical
• Manasa school
• A number of scholarships, especially the scholarships for minorities.
• Health cards of KMC and Father Muller’s Hospitals.
• Women’s co operative society, Rachana and Navachethana
• Mega conferences, work in the political field and fellowship meets.
• The plan of building houses for the needy.
• Providing basic facilities to the people and electrifying the houses.
• Membership drive, Dialogue programmes, protests and other services of common good.

Catholic Sabha Moodbidri Deanery Unit came into being on March 14, 1993 with Gerald DCosta, Siddakatte as founder president and Rev. Fr. Edwin Pinto as founder spiritual director.

Spiritual Directors of Catholic Sabha Moodbidri Deanery in the past 25 years :

 Presidents of Catholic Sabha Moodbidri Deanery  in the past 25 years :

Presidents of Catholic Sabha Moodbidri Zone from Moodbidri Deanery in the past 25 years :

Presidents of Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh from Moodbidri Deanery in the past 25 years :

 The Silver Jubilee Committee extends a warm welcome to all for this grand event.