Udupi: St Lawrence High School Moodubelle - Grand Opening of Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Report and pics: Dr. Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 29: “If we have now lighted fifty  lamps today as a symbol of 50 years of the existence of St Lawrence High School, it was Fr Abundius D’Souza who had ignited the first lamps. It is because of the wholehearted and impartial service rendered by the successive correspondents, head masters, principals, teaching and non-teaching staff and the students, which acted as oil for the remaining forty-nine lamps to be lighted,” remarked the Bishop of Mangalore, Dr  Aloysius Paul D’Souza, in his presidential address on the occasion of the grand golden jubilee celebrations of St Lawrence High School, Moodubelle, on the evening of Monday, December 28.

Prior to the evening function, the three-day golden jubilee programme began with the solemn thanksgiving mass with Fr Wilson LV D’Souza, secretary of the Catholic Board of Education as the chief celebrant in the morning at 9 am. Three of the concelebrants - Fr Valerian Castelino, Fr Sunil D’Souza and Fr Naresh Lobo were the past students of St Lawrence High School.

The golden jubilee inaugural function was preceded by a grand and colourful procession of students, teachers, villagers and guests from the Church Higher Primary School ground to St Lawrence High School, that proceeded through the main road and church compound.
 

In the high school-college quadrangle, following the prayer hymn beautifully and gracefully sung by the high school students, chief guest of the function, commodore Jerome Castelino, hoisted the school flag, thus inaugurating officially the three-day golden jubilee celebrations. Soon after, Fr Wilson L V  D’Souza, secretary of the Catholic Board of Education, inaugurated the expanded and renovated playground, followed by the unveiling of the P U College information board in front of the college building by Fr Joswey Fernandes, correspondent of St Lawrence Educational Institutions. 
The inaugural programme in the college hall was presided over by Fr Wilson L V D’Souza. Following the welcome address by the principal, Fr Paul Sequeira, prizes were distributed to the high school and PU college students for their achievements in academics, co-curricular and sports activities  by Commodore Jerome Castelino and Fr Wilson D’Souza respectively.

In his address as the chief guest, Commodore Jerome Castelino congratulated the prize winning students and recalled the difficulties faced at the time the high school was founded and built by late Fr Abundius D’Souza and the people of Moodubelle. He reminded the students and all those who were present that this was the occasion one should remember all those people, who had made sacrifices to have a high school in Moodubelle.

In his presidential message, Fr Wilson D’Souza greatly appreciated the high school students who rendered the prayer hymn in the morning assembly with devotion and discipline. He also had a word of praise for the teachers, who trained these students and stressed the fact that the teachers should be the role models for the students. He lauded the progress made by St Lawrence Educational Institutions in the Mangalore Diocese. Fr Wilson acknowledged the good work that is being done in the institutions by Fr Joswey Fernandes as the correspondent and Fr Paul Sequeira as the principal. He also wished good luck and success for the golden jubilee celebrations.

Following the opening ceremony of the golden jubilee celebrations of St Lawrence High School in the morning, the main function was held at 5.30 pm in the evening of Monday, which was presided over by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore. Chief guest of the function was Lalaji R Mendon, MLA representing Kaup constituency and the guests of honour were, Manjunathiah, block education officer, Udupi south range and guests of honour were Gerald Fernandes, zilla panchayat member, and Shashidhar Wagle, president of Belle gram panchayat.

Following the formal welcome by Fr Joswey Fernandes, correspondent of St Lawrence Educational Institutions, the golden jubilee function was inaugurated by Lalaji R Mendon by lighting a few of the fifty lamps that were arranged in circular forms to indicate the 50 years of St Lawrence High School, Moodubelle’s service to the people. Dr Aloysius P. D’Souza unveiled the portrait of late Fr Abundius D’Souza, founder of St Lawrence High School, and offered floral tributes, followed by other dignitaries.

The report of the golden jubilee year was presented by Hilda Aranha, secretary of the Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee and the annual report of the institutions was presented by Fr Paul Sequeira, principal of St Lawrence Composite PU College. An emotional tribute (Shraddhanjali) was paid by Shamala, lecturer of the PU College, to the founder as well as all those correspondents, head masters, principals, members of the teaching and non-teaching staff and students, who have departed from this world during the past fifty years.

The souvenir commemorating the fifty years of existence of St Lawrence High School, titled ‘Swarna Vallari’ (Golden Creeper), was released by Lalaji R. Mendon. Endowment prizes were distributed by Manjunathiah to meritorious students of SSLC and PUC classes, who had scored highest marks in their respective public examinations and those students who had excelled in extra-curricular activities and sports. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza inaugurated the Endowment Prize Fund constituted to honour and perpetuate the memory of the founder, correspondents, head masters, principals and the members of the teaching and non-teaching staff.

All those persons, who had sponsored the Endowment Prize Fund and had donated generously for the Golden Jubilee Fund, were felicitated and honoured. Here a special mention may be made to the highest donation of five lacs of rupees made by William Aranha from Canada and the Bellevision (UAE).

In his presidential speech, Dr Aloysius P. D’Souza appreciated the emotional ‘Shraddhanjali’ paid to all the departed persons associated with St Lawrence Educational Institution as a fitting tribute to those great souls who toiled and sacrificed for the development of the institutions. He complemented Fr Joswey and Fr Paul for the progress that St Lawrence Educational Institutions have been making in academics and other fields.

As the vote of thanks was being proposed, an unexpected rain disrupted the later entertainment programme for some time. However, within ten minutes, the rain subsided and the entertainment programme started and a few dances were performed excellently by the high school students. After half an hour, the showers turned more intense and some people made their way to their homes. However, thinking that the rains would stop, a number of people waited patiently for the programme to restart. Finally, in order not to disappoint the waiting people and those student artistes who were ready with their makeup and dresses, the remaining entertainment programme was continued in the college hall.