Mangalore: Platinum Jubilee of St Vincent Ferrer Church Inaugurated
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Pics by Nikhil Studio - Valencia

Mangalore, Jan 27: St Vincent Ferrer Church, Valencia in the city, which started operations on January 9, 1944, is bathing in grandeur and exulting in celebrations, during the platinum jubilee year of the church. The celebrations got a solemn beginning with the holding of the inaugural function on the evening of Tuesday January 26, in the church hall.

At the inaugural, Fr Stany Goveas, dean of the Episcopal City Varado, hoisted the parish jubilee flag and presided over the Eucharist. After the flag hoisting, church bells resounded melodiously and the hymn to the Patron Saint was sung.

The initiation for building of St Vincent Ferrer Church, standing presently in the serene ambience at Kankanady in the city, dates back to the year 1914, when the people of Kankanady and Jappina Mogeru put up an appeal for a separate parish, independent of Rosario Cathedral and Milagres Church. The demand for the church got further boost with the assurance of financial support, in the year 1922.  The setting up of this parish was decreed by the then Bishop of Mangalore, Fr V R Fernandes, on March 3, 1935, under the patronage of St Vincent Ferrer. Foundation for the church building was blessed in 1942, and the spiritual and religious activities were shifted to the newly built church on January 9, 1944, due to the efforts put forth by Fr Monthu Menezes, the first vicar of the parish as well as the parishioners.

After the mass, a formal function was held. Fr Stany Goveas and Sr Lenita D'Souza, the newly elected Provincial Superior of the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation Sisters, were the guests at the function. After Sr Lenita unveiled the logo, the Jubilee Anthem was sung, under the leadership of Eric Ozario. The symbolic bricks brought by the 16 Gurkars of the parish were blessed by Fr Bonaventure Naazareth, parish priest, for the foundation stone for the church extension. The symbolic setting was thereafter, done by using them. Jubilee year programmes were released by Fr Stany Goveas and read out by Arun Raj Rodrigues.

Both Fr Stany Goveas and Sr Lenita addressed the gathering. Fr Maxim Rosario welcomed the gathering, and Arun Raj proposed vote of thanks. Patrick D'Souza compered the programme. Ables,  a Konkani play, was staged by Maand Sobhann.  In addition, a 75-member choir accompanied by several instrumentalists, presented an impressive performance.