Bantwal: Parish priest Fr Gregory Pereira turns Borimar Church into green belt


Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (MS)

Bantwal, Jul 10: ‘Thotava Nodiranna...Gurugala Aatava Nodiranna’ (see the farmland...see the game of the priest) is the song written by Saint Shishunala Sharif, social reformer of Karnataka. But in the case of Borimar St Joseph's Church near Soorikumeru, this has become literally true. Fr Gregory Pereira, parish priest of Borimar Church, which is on the threshold of celebrating its silver jubilee, has changed the picture of the church in the last one year through agricultural revolution.

Till last year, there were only Rubber trees in the land that belonged to the church. Fr Gregory, who was deputed as the parish priest on June 3, 2018 decided to turn this into a green land. Various kinds of vegetables like Papaya, Drum sticks, spinach, sweet potato and pumpkin adore the land around the church now. In addition cashew trees are also coming up in the property of the church, which is making this a source of income also.

The parish priest, who took a vow to do organic farming in the four acres of land that belongs to the church, removed all the rubber trees and started farming Papaya. In addition, other root vegetables like pumpkin, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin were also started sprouting on the land. Now there are more than 100 plants of Papaya, 120 trees of Drum Sticks and more than 1000 plants of Yam, which have increased the beauty of the surroundings of the church. This year 160 Cashew plants are planted newly and the parish priest has the intention of widening the agriculture farming further.

Now Fr Gregory Pereira is called as 'Papayi Father' by all the parishioners. His interest in farming and agriculture increased the awareness and love of the parishioners towards agriculture. This priest is not limited to offering masses alone. Fr Gregory is known to have made green revolution in all the churches where he has served as a priest in the past also.

Fr Gregory Pereira was born on November 17, 1953 in an agricultural family of Meremajalu village. He was ordained in 1981. Then he served two years in Modankap church, seven years in Narampady church, seven years in Venur church, 14 years in Belve Estate church of Udupi and seven years at Allipade church. In total he has served as a priest for 37 years now. He is serving as the 25th priest of the Borimar church from June 18, 2018, which is on the verge of celebrating silver jubilee.

Fr Gregory was known as 'Kumbalakayi Father' in Narampadi Church and 'Adike Father' in Belve according to the stress he gave on growing pumpkin and arecanut respectively in these church properties.

Fr Gregory, who offers masses and conducts all activities related to the church, gets down to work in the farm during his leisure time. Like Cassock, while offering the mass, Fr Gregory has his own type of dress while working in the farm. He believes that the work of agriculture is as sacred as that of work of God. Fr Gregory works with mud, fertilizer along with farm labourers Franky D'Souza, Babanna, Prakash, Sesappa, Irene, Lalita, Chinnamma, Pramod, Vinod and Mohan.

The organic vegetables grown in the Borimar church compound have great demand. There are local customers for Papaya, Sweet Potato, Yam, Spinach and Pumpkin. In addition, these agricultural products are also sold to Fr Muller's hospital of Mangaluru, Jeppu Seminary and main office of Bajjodi Christian educational institutions. As these vegetables are sold at a cheaper price than the market and also for the fact that they are produced through organic farming, they are in great demand. In addition, these vegetables are used to prepare free breakfast for primary to PUC students who attend Catechism classes on Sunday after the mass.

The church has made a profit of more than one and a half lac in the past one year due to organic farming. The parish council committee is also supporting the pro-society work of the parish priest. The parishioners have high respect and regards for Fr Gregory for his magic of agriculture farming, which has not only turned the church surroundings in to lush green area but also has brought considerable revenue to the church.

Roshan Boniface Martis, vice-president of parish council says, "It is our good luck that the Bishop of Mangaluru diocese has appointed a creative priest like Fr Gregory Pereira to our church, which is on the verge of celebrating silver jubilee. All the parishioners and parish council members are giving our whole-hearted support to all his work."

  

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Comment on this article

  • Joe Brito, Nakre/Bangalore

    Mon, Jun 17 2024

    Great Initiative by Fr. Gregory Pereira. It's wonderful that his work has been recognised by the Bishop and that he is being encouraged . Best wishes, Joe Britto B'sc Agriculture 9845157776 joebritto1950@gmail.com

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  • Alwyn, Canada

    Thu, Jul 11 2019

    Great job motivation to our youth not to seek for foriegn jobs rather work in farm and be your own boss

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • MV, Mangalore, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Good work. May your tribe increase dear Fr.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • MV, Mangalore, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Good work. May your tribe increase dear Fr.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • John R Silva, Udupi /Mumbai

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations Fr. Gregory for the wonderful work you have Done. May your work inspire others also.

    God bless you Father

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • NFS Rodrigues, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    I hope others will take some inputs from this especially those you are still planning to demolish strong structures & rebuild and some who are planning to erect new buildings.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Augustine Daniel DSouza, Udupi Mumbai STATE OF KUWAIT.

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations Fr. Gregory Pereria thank you for your good work.

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Inspiring work by the priest.
    Hope it inspires more people .

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prakash, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Great work by the Parish Priest !!
    But,
    Hilly and sloppy regions should adopt tree based cultivation for better rain water absorption in the soil and to protect the rivers and groundwater level.
    It protects landslides as well..
    Chopping down the trees for cultivation is the main reason of southern India's desertification !!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • AARADHYA, MANGALURU

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Great move Father Congratulations and all the very best
    Through this our other priests learn lessons building big buildings and making money through donation and commission is not the duty of a priest.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Santhosh, Neerude/ kuwait

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congrates father. All the best.

    ಪಾದ್ರ್ಯಾ ಭಾನ್ ಕೆಲಾ ಚಮತ್ಕಾರ್
    ಸುಕ್ಯಾ ಧರ್ನಿರ್ ಕೆಲಾ ಅವಿಷ್ಕಾರ್

    ಶೆತಾಂತ್ ರಂಧ್ವೋಯೇಸೋ ಶೃಂಗಾರ್
    ಫಿರ್ಗಜೆಯೆಂತ್ ಲೋಕಾಸೊ ಸಹಕಾರ್

    ಬೋರಿಮಾರ್ ಪಿರ್ಗಜ್ ಜಾಲ್ಯಾ ಸರ್ವಾನ್ಕ್ ಉತ್ತೇಜನ್
    ಬೋರೊವ್ಡಿ ಸರ್ವ್ ಪಿರ್ ಗೋಜೋ ಪಚ್ವ್ಯಾಪೂಣಾನ್

    DisAgree Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jennifer, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Lovely. Please continue your good work.

    When rubber plantation was taken up by locals, the fruit-bearing trees in the wild were cut off. Those trees made food available to monkeys, birds, bats and other ground based animals when ripe fruit/nuts fell down. What did rubber give ? Nothing except sap for human beings to sell and make money. This shows how selfish a man can be.

    Please Father, in the surrounding areas that does not belong to church, please plant wild fruit trees using your workers when they have no or less work. This will stop your product being attacked by unfriendly visitors. This should be everybody's responsibility because these days there is a severe monkey menace. They come in search of food, they don't take it for commercial gain. Its our duty to help them now because we have cause them harm in years passed by.

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cliffy, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Inspiring priest to all the people and parishioners. Working in the garden improves health and also gives employment to the people.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Edmond Noronha, Kirem - Sharjah

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    It’s very pleasing to hear about Fr Gregory Pereira.
    Wish others will follow the suite thereby creating employment and creating spiritual awareness.
    Better focus on this rather than demolish and build new churches.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Francis, Mumbai/Dubai

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations to the Parish priest of St. Jospeph Church, Fr Gregory Pereira for turning into Borimar Church a green belt. God bless you today and always in your future endeaours.

    I am very much proud to know that this church has been built on the property donated by my grandfather and offer my prayers to him on this day. May God grant eternal rest and perpetual light shine upon him.

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prakash D' Cunha, Bajpe/Ashoknagar/Abudhabi

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Hats off Fr. Gregory & parishoners for the good work. May God Bless you all.

    DisAgree Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Joseph F. Gonsalves, Bannur, Puttur / Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations to Parish Priest Fr Gregory Pereira for turnng Borimar Church surroundings a Green Belt.

    ಶೆತಾಂತ್ ದಿಸ್ತಾ ಪೊಪಾಯ್.

    ಪಾದ್ರ್ಯಾಬ್ ಫಿರ್ಗಜೆಚೊ ಬಾಪೊಯ್.

    ಪೊಳೆಯಾ ಪಾಚ್ವೆಂ, ಪಾಚ್ವೆಂ ಸಕ್ಟಾಂಕೀ ಆಪೊಯ್.

    ಪಾವ್ಸ್ ಯೆತಾ ಥಂಡ್, ನಾಂವ್ಕ್ ಉದಾಕ್ ತಾಪೊಯ್.

    ಪುರೊ, ಪುರೊ ತುಜಿಂ ಕವನಾಂ ಹಾಂಗಾಚರ್ ಸೊಂಪೊಯ್.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • denzil fernandes, mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Great work by a very practical priest. Congrats to Fr. Gregory. Our other priests should learn from Fr. Gregory. Praise the Lord. Denzil Fernandes, Mangalore

    DisAgree [2] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Andrew L D Cunha, mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    This is very interesting and inspiring. Church can generate employment and also increase productivity. Spiritual and social cause should go together.

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rupesh Stiven Pais, Allipade, Doha - Qatar

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations dear father we are really good to see your hard work and good interest in organic farming also for the parish growth. we wish you every success in your future life and mission. God Bless You Father.

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vishal, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    I am sure the Bishop of Mangalore who is in the forefront of turning the surroundings green, would be very happy with the efforts of Fr. Gregory Pereira. I sincerely hope all the other priests take a leaf out of their books and start encouraging the planting of saplings everywhere, including the church premises.

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Paul D Souza, Bondel/Sharjah

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Thank you Fr. Gregory great amazing job all the best in future.

    DisAgree Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • ivav, MUSCAT

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Old saying in kannada : kai kessaru adare, baiege mosaru ( if hands are worked then for mouth there is butter).
    A good example set by Fr. Gregory to modern lazy generation to awake to open the eyes , use our hands as God gifted make hands are sweet taste than mouth. If we love our nature, it will bless us in many folds, it is a beauty rather than going to market to buy small necessity things. Many are willing but lacking the zeal to do within our gates, even indoor plants etc., will help our warming nature. Our modern children even don't have the taste of nature to put the water to our indoor plants or how to cultivate a small plant, such is level of our society. Internet is a Gods gift, one can learn many of lessons on cultivation of plants, vegitables and other things rather sitting on mobile things.
    Well done Fr. Gregory and Parish of Bantwal community.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vishal, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Congratulations to Fr. Gregory Pereira for the wonderful job he is doing. The parishioners of St. Joseph's Church, Borimar are really blessed to have this priest with them.

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • David Pais, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    vedavyasa kamath will announce hefty reward da church priest fr. gregory making green belt.

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ann Pinto, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Wonderful work by Fr Gregory. It will inspire and motivate all the parishioners too. Fr Gregory shows through his work how a single determined mind can inspire and bring positive changes around.

    DisAgree Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Perhaps it is due to the physical work, the priest looks more like 45 years of age, and not 66.

    Physical work makes a person mentally and physically healthy.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Wed, Jul 10 2019

    Amazing work. Very inspiring priest.

    Thank you for the report.

    DisAgree Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Bantwal: Parish priest Fr Gregory Pereira turns Borimar Church into green belt



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