Media Release
Mangaluru, Feb 5: The society of St Vincent De Paul popularly known as SSVP will be celebrating 100 years of its presence in Mangalore Catholic diocese. The inauguration of centenary year will be held on Sunday February 9 at Bejai Church Hall.
Vicar general of Mangalore diocese Msgr Fr Maxim Norohna will release the centenary logo Fr Francis D’Souza spiritual advisor of Mangalore Central Council will release the centenary theme. Fr Dr J B Saldana diocesan PRO and parish priest of Bejai will launch the centenary projects. Br Walter Martis co-ordinator, Western India Regional Council, Br Gilbert Pinto former central council president, along with incumbent central council president Br Joe Coelho and other office bearers will be present.
SSVP the world's largest Catholic lay charity organization came into existence in Mangaluru in Bendore parish in January 1926. Milagres unit was established in the same month. Later in May the same year two more units ie. Rosario Cathedral and Bejai came into existence.
The basic work of SSVP is visiting the poor, sick and the needy and distributing relief to the deprived in their own environment. The SSVP helps the needy protecting the self-respect of the recipient and anonymity. Each unit adopts minimum 5 families and looks after them as their own. Today Mangalore Central Council has 623 adopted families having 1765 members.
Since 1926 SSVP has spread throughout the diocese and today they have 111 units in as many parishes across the diocese and also have 3 youth units and are having a total membership of 1539 active members and many are serving as volunteers.
At present SSVP is having diamond jubilee health scheme, which covers 623 adopted families with 1765 members. The scheme is executed in collaboration with Father Muller Medical Collage Hospital, Mangaluru and Thumbay. This scheme provides free medical care and dialysis care for the members of the adopted families.
Commemorating its Centenary celebrations SSVP has envisaged many projects.
Major projects
SHIKAP (Education): Education aid to the 405 students of our adopted families.
ASRO (Shelter): Shelter is a project to help one hundred families to build or repair their houses.
Joe Coelho, president of the Central Council; Ligoury Fernandes, secretary of the Central Council; Clarence Machado, treasurer of the Central Council; Philomena Menezes, convener of the Centenary Celebration Committee; and Loyd Rego, convener of the Media Committee were present at the press meet.
About SSVP
SSVP was started in 1833 in Paris, France by Blessed Fredric Ozanam and his 6 companions whose average age was 22 years except one. Today it has spread in 158 countries in the world having more than 8 lac members and more than one million volunteers. It is the largest lay service organization of Catholic Church, has an observer place in UNO.
It was established in India in 1863 at Bombay and has 7225 units and 65546 members spread across India.