Mangaloreans Meet in Rome - Fr. Alwyn Serrao gets Doctorate
by Fr Elias Frank - Rome for Daijiworld Media Network
Rome, Jun 13: On June 10 the ‘Manglur kutam in Rome’ came together for the last time before the summer vacation. The occasion was to thank the outgoing ‘gurkar’ (president) Fr. Stephen Vaz, to felicitate the new doctors – Fr. Alwyn Serrao and Sr. Mariette BS – and to welcome the new members, among whom is Fr. Eugene Lobo SJ, former principal of St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, who has joined the Vatican Radio’s English service for Asia.
June 7 was another great day for the small Mangalorean community in Rome. This time it was Fr. Alwyn Serrao of Shimoga diocese who made it memorable. Fr. Alwyn, after an hour long discussion on his thesis, ‘duties and rights of the parish priest in the removal and recourse’, was awarded doctorate in Canon Law in the Pontifical Urbaniana University; Pope’s own University. Fr. Alwyn is the first priest of Shimoga diocese to obtain a doctorate; no doubt, his bishop, Most Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo, too was present on the occasion.
The thesis is a very useful contribution to the Church in the field of Canon Law. Problems between parish priests and bishops, parishners and parish priests are not unknown; Fr. Alwyn, in his work, tries to explain when a parish priest can be removed from his office of parish priest, what procedure should a bishop follow and what a parish priest can do when a bishop unjustly removes him from office.
Fr. Alwyn hails from Badravati, of Mary Immaculate Church, Newtown. He is the last of the four children of Cecilia Pereira and Hilary Serrao. He did his seminary formation for priesthood in St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore. After working for a few years in his diocese he was sent to St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute of Theology, Bangalore, to do Masters in Canon Law. Having done well in Bangalore, he was sent to Rome to pursue the doctoral studies, which he completed with flying colours. Regarding Fr. Alwyn’s ability in studies Bishop Gerald had this to say: ‘he was always a toper’.
Earlier, Holy Eucharist was celebrated presided over by Fr. Stephen Vaz. The programme, after the Holy Mass, was managed by Mrs Nancy Pinto, ‘gurkarn’ (vice president) and Fr. Anthony Pinto.