Media Release
Dubai, Aug 16: St Mary’s Mangalorean Community, SMMC, a renowned Mangalorean Konkani organization of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Dubai, announced its new office bearers for the year 2022-2024.
Fr Denis Saldanha OFM Cap, outgoing spiritual director of SMMC made this announcement during the Konkani mass in June 2022. Fr Victor Fernandes OFM Cap, who succeeded Fr Denis is the new spiritual director of SMMC Dubai. Jeevan Vas has been elected as the new coordinator of SMMC succeeding Diany D’Souza whose term had come to an end.
SMMC, a novel organization was initiated in 2013 to cater the spiritual requirements of vast Mangalorean Konkani Community of St Mary’s Church Dubai. SMMC has successfully hosted many spiritual as well as cultural programs like Lenten retreat, Konkani drama, indoor sports day, nine days Novena and Monti Fest, various competitions, cultural events and medical and educational support to the needy people in Dubai.
Fr Denis, thanked the previous committee for their selfless service in building up the Konkani Community especially during the pandemic by reaching out to needy Konkani community members and labor camps.
The new office bearers of SMMC Dubai for the year 2022– 24 are:-
The SMMC’s new Core team with new spiritual director Fr Victor is intending to continue with the ongoing events and also planning to organize many more innovative projects to elevate spiritual fortitude and render social benefits to the Mangalorean Community of St Mary’s Dubai Parish.
As an initial significant event for this year, SMMC’s Core team has planned a grand celebration of 9 days novena for the popular Mangalorean feast of Mother Mary ‘Monti Fest’ from August 31 to September 8 with Konkani mass, novena and flower veneration to Balok Mori ‘Bambino’. To mark this event, competitions like Konkani singing of Marian Hymns as well as Konkani elocution for the children of various age categories of Mangalorean community belonging to Dubai parish have been arranged. Monti Fest will be celebrated on Friday, September 9 at 8 PM with brass band procession, flower veneration to Mother Mary, feast High Mass and thereafter Novem Jevann.
Details of the competitions are as below:
Singing: Konkani Marian Hymns
Category 1: 5 years to 8 years
Category 2: 9 years to 12 years
Category 3: 13 years to 16 years
Elocution:
Category 1: 5 years to 8 years -Monti Fest Aacharann (Contestants can use Monti fest related props to enact)
Category 2: 9 years to 12 years-Mori Aadarsh Avoiponnak Saks
Category 3: 13 years to 16 years-Morieche Shegun-Virtues of Mother Mary
Last date of registration: August 27
Competitions will be held via Zoom online on 4th September 2022, timings of the competition will be announced later. The parents have been asked to encourage their children to take part in this competition to exhibit their talents in their native language.
For registration and more details or to get updates on the activities and events of SMMC, refer to the official website:
www.smmcdubai.org
Email id: smmcdubai@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysSMMCDUBAI/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/smmcdubai?igshid=YmMyMTA2MY=