Udupi: All-religion meet at Kemmannu Church aims to foster harmony

Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SM)

Udupi, May 11: In a bid to promote harmony and peace in the region and among different communities, ‘Sarva Dharma Sauharda Koota’ (all-religion meet) was held at St Theresa Church, Kemmannu, as part of the platinum jubilee celebration of the Church here on Saturday May 11.

Fr Stany B Lobo, vicar of Kalyanpur deanery, inaugurated the programme. In his inaugural speech he said, “Break the walls of religious differences and build a bridge of religious unity."

“Let us all be God's disciples without religious and caste barriers. If one has to pray to one's God, one can pray in any religious center in the world and there is no need for any particular center. Technology has made human beings equal to machines. Educated people are becoming more and more corrupt. With increasing corruption, fights and so on, people have now forgotten that they are human beings," he said.

“The foundation of all religions should be love. All should have respect for their religion, as well as for religions of other people too. Let us be united without any barriers. Let us all together help the needy. Let us be human beings with love and respect for others,” he added.

Fr Anil P D’Silva, president of silver jubilee committee, Fr Clifford Fernandes, Sathish Neja of Kalianpur gram panchayat, Nithyananth Kemmannu, Kemmannu gram pachayat president, Rahmatulla Thonse, taluk panchayat member were the chief guests on the occasion.

Church vice-president Ronald Menezes, taluk panchayat member Veronica Cornelio, Alfred Crasta and others were present. Verses from the Bhagavadgita, the Quran and the Bible were recited on the occasion by Vedamurthy Nembu Sridhar Bhat of Ganapathy Temple, Padukudru, Usman Madani, Khateeb of Jamia Masjid, Mijar, and Fr Edward Olivera, respectively.