Mangalore: Fr Valerian Mendonca Accorded Touching Farewell on Retirement
from Lionel Pinto Kinnigoli
for Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SM)
Mangalore, Jan 2: Fr Valerian Mendonca, who served as principal of Pompeii College Aikala near here for four and half years, retired on Tuesday January 1.
A farewell function was organized by the College management committee, teaching and non teaching staff of the college, old students’ association of the College and teachers and parents’ association here on the same day.
Fr Wilson D' Souza, secretary of Catholic Board of Education presided over the function. Fr Baptist Menezes, Episcopal vicar of Udupi deanery, Fr Charles Noronha, correspondent of the College, Fr Alfred Pinto, dean of Kinnigoli deanery and Prof M Balakrishna Shetty, principal of SDPT College, Kateel were the chief guest on the occasion.
Pradeep and Merwin Saldanha expressed their gratitude on behalf of the students. Prof Patrick Menezes on behalf of the teaching staff, Rocky Lobo on behalf of the non-teaching staff, Gretta D’Souza on behalf of the old students and Ratnakara Shetty on behalf of the parents’ and teachers’ association spoke about Fr Valerian Mendonca, and admired his good qualities and achievements of the College during his tenure.
Fr Mendonca, who tried his best to get the recognition of NAK to the college, introduced mid-day meals. Multi-national companies started recruiting the staff from this college campus. Even though this college is situated in the rural area, it has all the facilities and equipments which a city college has, said Fr Alfred Pinto while speaking on the occasion.
Prof Balakrishna Shetty said that Fr Mendonca's cheerful face and charming smile is the inspiration to him. He is physically old but mentally still young and energetic, he added. He wished all the best to Fr Mendonca.
Fr Mendonca was felicitated and Yamaha key board was gifted to him as a token of love and gratitude.
In his presidential speech Fr Wilson D'Souza said “Fr Mendonca deserves to be felicitated by his people. Professional life retirement is mandatory and it can be avoidable but the right person gets the right honour and Fr Mendonca is one of them.” He further wished Fr Mendonca a bright future.
A souvenir ‘Navachethana’ was released by Fr Baptist Menezes. History lecturer Patrick Menezes was appointed as in-charge principal of the college on this occasion.
Fr Charles Noronha welcomed the gathering. Dr Perla Radhakrishna Bhat proposed the vote of thanks. Porf Yogindra and Sugdharani compered the programme.