Media Release
Dubai, Aug 2: St Mary’s Mangalorean Konkani Community (SMMC), a Mangalurean Konkan organization of St Mary’s Catholic Church has chosen Oswald Fernandes as its coordinator for the year 2015-2016.
The new core committee for the year was announced by Fr Robert Lasrado, the new spiritual director of Mangalurean Konkan community of Dubai during last month’s Konkani mass.
SMMC, a novel organization initiated in 2013, under the guidance of earlier parish priest of St Mary’s Church Fr Tomasito and spiritual director Fr Fransquinho Gomes to cater the spiritual requirements of vast Mangalurean Konkan community of St Mary’s parish Dubai. On the arrival of Fr Robert Lasrado this year to Dubai and his appointment as the new spiritual director of SMMC by the new parish priest Fr Lennie Connolly, the organization has enthusiastically geared up to plan new endeavors to enhance the spiritual and commercial activities for the Mangalurean community of St Mary’s Church, Dubai.
Fr Robert Lasrado is a native of Farangipet, ordained as a Capuchin priest in 1998 at Bejai. After his ordination, he served as an assistant superior for 9 years in Dayalbagh Ashram, Ujire. From 2007 to 2013 he took up the assignment as a superior in St Fidelis Friary, Monte Mariano, Faragipet. In 2014, Fr Lasrado was assigned as a superior of Assisi Nilaya in Moodubelle. In December 2014, Fr Lasrado arrived in Dubai to serve as an assistant priest of St Mary’s Catholic Church.
The new office-bearers of SMMC Dubai are as follows:
Fr Robert Lasrado - Spiritual Director
Oswald Fernandes – Coordinator
Jerina Lewis – Vice-coordinator
Clement Cardoza – Liturgical coordinator
Loyson DCunha – Secretary and representing Volunteer Sodality
Edwin Rego – Representing Eucharistic ministers
Josly Pinto – Representing JMJ (Jesus Mary Joseph) Konkani Prayer Group
Lee Almeida – Representing Youth Group
As an initial significant venture this year, SMMC is planning to celebrate a 9-day novena for the popular Mangalurean feast of Mother Mary ‘Monti Fest’ with Konkani Mass, Novena and flower veneration to Balok Mori ‘Bambino’. Also to mark the event, Konkani singing as well as fancy dress on saints imitation competitions for the children and Konkani skit competition for adults have been be arranged. Monthi Fest will be celebrated on September 8 at 7:30 pm with mass, procession, flower veneration to Mother Mary and thereafter 'novem jevann'. Following Friday, on September 11, a cultural programme will be organized in the main hall of St Mary’s Church. More details about Monti Fest celebration will be announced soon.
Apart from enriching spiritual Konkani events in St Mary’s Church Dubai, SMMC is intending to organize many commercial events in Konkani like drama, sports and singing. With the able and captivating new spiritual director Fr Robert Lasrado’s guidance, the new core team of SMMC deems to elevate spiritual spirit and render commercial benefits to the Mangalurean community of St Mary’s Dubai parish.