Daijiworld Media network - Brahmavar (GA)
Brahmavar, Aug 5: It is a proud moment for Christians of Karnataka in general and of Udupi diocese in particular. Holy priest Fr Alfred Roche OFM Cap (baptismal name Peter John Roche), fondly known as Amcho Padryab, will be the first person of the newly-carved Udupi diocese to be declared 'Servant of God'. He will be declared Servant of God during a solemn Eucharistic Mass to be offered by Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo at 8 am on Sunday August 15 at the Holy Family Church Brahmavar here. Fr Alfred Roche, the first Capuchin parish priest of the Holy Family Church, has been laid to rest at the cemetery of the Holy Family Church. Servant of God it is the first step in designating an individual who is being investigated by the Church for possible canonization as a saint.
Fr Alfred Roche
Fr Alfred Roche was born as Peter John Roche in Moodahadu which is part of St Peter’s Church Barkuru on April 3, 1924. After completing his primary and high school education in Moodahadu, Sastan and Milagres Kallianpur, young Peter joined the Capuchins in 1944 and received the name Alfred. He was ordained priest on April 11, 1951 at Kotagiri.
After spending his initial priesthood days as vice-Novice Master at Monte Mariano Farangipet, Fr Alfred took over as the first Capuchin parish priest of the Holy Family Church Brahmavar in 1956. When he took over as the parish priest of Brahmavar, it was reeling under poverty, illiteracy, lack of spirituality etc. However Fr Alfred’s arrival ushered in a new spiritual, academic, economic, social and inter-faith era in Brahmavar. Today, Fr Alfred Roche lives and reigns in the hearts of every parishioner of Holy Family Church Brahmavar due to the dedicated life he lived there as a parish priest, inspiring young and old. He came back to Brahmavar again in mid-90s after his retirement and it was here in Brahmavar he was laid to rest after he went on to his eternal sojourn on December 31, 1996.
Post his assignment as first parish priest of Holy Family Church Brahmavar Fr Alfred went on preaching the word of God and living a life of pious, humble Capuchin as parish priest in Binaga and Lower Kasarkod in the diocese of Karwar where he is already considered a Saint. When he passed away thousands of people from Karwar diocese came in buses, vans, cars just to have the last glimpse of their ‘Saant Padryab’ which in itself was a testament to his popularity among these people. He not only preached and did the spiritual work but provided poor with food, houses, education and jobs, helped them to get married, inspired hundreds to join religious life, built inter-faith communities etc. He was as renowned preacher of his time and people thronged to listen to his inspirational sermons.
Now as Bishop Dr Gerald Issac Lobo declares Fr Alfred as Servant of God at the Holy Family Church Brahmavar, he will be the first person from Udupi diocese to be elevated to this distinct honour. It is also to be noted that he is the only the second person of Karnataka origin after Msgr Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, the former vicar general of the diocese of Mangalore and the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany who had been declared Servant of God in the year 2008. This is also another distinct honour to the new Udupi diocese within a short span of its Canonical birth. At first St Lawrence Church at Attur Karkala, the popular pilgrimage center of the diocese was declared Minor Basilica in the year 2016. Now the diocese is going to get its first Servant of God in the form of Fr Alfred Roche.