Valedictory of 75th Anniversary of Valencia Parish on Jan 26

Valedictory of 75th Anniversary of Valencia Parish on Jan 26

Mangalore Today News Network

By I J Saldanha Shet, Mangalore

Mangalore Jan 25, 2011: 1935 is a special year in the history of Mangalore’s Konkani Catholics.  Valencia, Casicia and Angelore were born that year as new parishes in the South Western part of  Mangalore town under the patronage of Bishop Victor Fernandes(1931-1955).  After the turn of the other parishes the conclusion of the 75th Anniversary of Valencia parish is now being marked in a special way on 26 January,2011, the detailed programme is shown at the end. Valencia is today a premier parish of Mangalore Diocese headed by Rt.Rev.Dr.Aloysius P D’Souza. The Parish priest is Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Nazareth and  Asst PP Fr.Roshan Crasta. The leading council members Arun Raj Rodrigues Vice President and Flavia Sequiera Secretary.

 

 

Erected on 3rd March,1935, Valencia Parish  is devided into 16 wards totaling  874 families. Population of Valencia Parish is 3100 (males -1450 , females – 1650). There are 11 Associations such as SVP, CLC, Catholic Sabha, Legion of Mary, Franciscan Third Order, Altar Boys, Charismatic Movement, Small Christian Community, Choir, Marian Sodality, Saheli – Women’s cell.   There are 7 Convents located within the parish – Gerosa, Ursuline, Cloistered Carmel, Roshni Nilaya, Cheshire Home, St. Ann’s Providence, St. Vincent Convent, (Fr. Muller Hospital community). Valencia church runs a popular nursery (Play School, Lower KG and UKG). Attached to the church is a community hall of 800 capacity (Golden Jubilee Memorial Hall) built in 1987.  

BRIEF HISTORY:
The Portugese occupied Mangalore in January 1568, securing their trade in spices and local condiments. Factories were established to process the merchandise and Konkani Goan settlers worked, practicing Catholics worshipped in a portion of the factory called ‘igerz’ (church). It is believed that the first ever Holy mass was celebrated on Mangalore soil in January 1568. Kanara Catholics faced a turbulent period of captivity from Ash Wednesday Feb.21,1784 to 1799, at the hands of the Mysore Ruler Tipu Sultan, it was a dark age. The Rosario Church was raised to the status of a ‘Cathedral’ in 1850 and the present city limit was a single parish under it, in 1860 the first division took place and Milagres came into being followed at regular intervals by new parishes:  Urwa 1866, Kulur 1888, Cordel 1904, Bijey 1912, Bendur 1914, Bondel 1923, Derebail and Bajal 1939and so on. Presently we  see are several Catholic churches and institutions in Mangalore: older ones are St.Joseph’s Diocesan Seminary, St.Ann’s College School and Convent, St.Aloysius College and Historic Chapel, St.Agnes College School and Convent, St.Antony’s Ashram and several others too to long to list.

 

First Parish Priest - Rev Fr Mathew Menezes

 

Valencia Church the heart of this parish spread over Kankanady to Jeppinamogaru, Sutherpet and Gorrigudda is dedicted St.Vincent Ferrar of Valencia (see profile below). Before 1935 it was a well known burrial ground or ’Sudkad’. The people mainly belonged originally to Rosario Cathedral and Milagres parishes. They found it difficult to accept that their parish church was to be situated in what is a burial ground within a Mortuary Chapel and there was some litigation for a while. The old Mortuary Chapel is still visible as one approaches the Church from Fr.Muller’s Road, on one side Diocesan Priests are buried presently.  The new church was then built and blessed for permanent use on 9.January 1944.  The First Parish priest was the brisk Fr.Mathew Menezes(1876-1956). A senior priest who now lives a fruitful retired life at St.Anthony Home for Retired priests is a well known former parish priest of Valencia - Msgr Alexander F D’Souza. This church got  it’s popularity when it was the first to start the Perpetual Succor Novena in 1962 and people from all over Mangalore flocked to participate.


A NOTE of INTEREST: Arivind Adiga the winner of ’Man Booker Prize 2008’ for his book ’The White Tiger’  did his early studies at St.Aloysius High School and a native of Kanara in his book ’Between the Assassinations’ has used ’VALENCIA’ a similar rare spot of Christian and Konkani Culture which meshes with Mangalore’s Valencia of old.Many of the places and spots in this book are obviously of our very own ancient Mangalore. The writer highlights the prevailing harmony of the times and the need to preserve and promote it.

 

Present Parish Council

MARCHING ON:
The conclusion of the Platinum Jubilee is scheduled on Republic day 26th January 2011 and will highlight the Social Apostolate in conjunction with the religious service that this now prolific parish of Mangalore city  stands for. Several project-like-programmes with a calculated participation were successfully organized in the course of the last year. Apart from community development particularly among the weaker sections of the parish health and wellness, Bio-diversity and environmental protection, go-green and cleanliness drives, integrity and ethics of life and so on which will bring a marked awareness in the area and overflow to the surroundings. As part of the Jubilee celebrations the church building too is being renovated and expanded for better utility. It is the hope all concerned that this marking of the 75th Jubilee will bring about more harmony, peace and all around development to all people not only of this Valencia Parish but in a broader perspective for the Nation as a whole.  

NOTE: On 25th evening there will be a mass at the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Cloistered Convent at 5.30 pm. there after a procession of GIFTS will be carried to Valencia Church the traditional observance of the region.

Dimond Jublee Closing Celebrations - 26 January, 2011.
Solemn Mass:  5.00 pm
Main Celebrant  V.Rev.Dr.Robert Miranda Bishop of Gulbarga.

Grand Celebration: 6.30 pm
Presided over By V.Rev.Dr.Aloysius P D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore.
Chief Guest Sri Oscar Fernandes MP & CWC Member.
Musical Evening By Well known Artistes of the Parish.


PROFILE- St.VINCENT FERRAR of VALENCIA SPAIN -  THE PATRON
Famous Dominican missionary, born at Valencia Spain, 23 January, 1350; died at Vannes, Brittany, 5 April, 1419. He was descended from the younger of two brothers who were knighted for their valour in the conquest of Valencia, 1238. Vincent was their fourth child. A brother, not unknown to history, was Boniface Ferrer, General of theCarthusians, who was employed by the antipope Benedict XIII in important missions. Vincent was educated atValencia, and completed his philosophy at the age of fourteen. In 1367 he entered the Dominican Order, and was sent to the house of studies at Barcelona the following year. In 1370 he taught philosophy at Lérida; during his stay there famine was prevalent; filled with compassion for the sufferers; Vincent foretold, while preaching one day, the near approach of ships bearing wheat. His prediction was fulfilled. In 1377 he was sent to continue his studies atToulouse, where, in his own words, "study followed prayer, and prayer succeeded study".

After this Vincent carried on his apostolic work while in Pedro de Luna’s suite. At Valladolid he converted a rabbi, later well known as Bishop Paul of Burgos.  An attack of fever at this time brought Vincent to death’s door, but during an apparition of Christ accompanied by St. Dominic and St. Francis he was miraculously cured and sent to preach penance and prepare men for the coming judgment. Not until November, 1399, did Benedict allow Vincent Ferrer to begin his apostolate, furnished with full powers of a legate a latere Christi. For twenty years he traversed westernEurope, preaching penance for sin and preparation for judgment. Provence was the first field of his apostolate; he wasobliged to preach in squares and open places, such were the numbers that flocked to hear him.  It would be difficult to understand how he could make himself understood by the many nationalities he evangelized, as he could speak only Limousin, the language of Valencia. Many of his biographers hold that he was endowed with the gift of tongues, an opinion supported by Nicholas Clemangis, a doctor of the University of Paris, who had heard him preach.

Vincent felt that he was the messenger of penance sent to prepare men for the judgment. For twenty years he traversed Western Europe preaching penance and awakening the dormant consciences of sinners by his wondrous eloquence. His austere life was but the living expression of his doctrine. The floor was his usual bed; perpetuallyfasting, he arose at two in the morning to chant the Office, celebrating Mass daily, afterwards preaching, sometimes three hours, and frequently working miracles. After his midday meal he would tend the sick children; at eight o’clock he prepared his sermon for the following day. He usually travelled on foot, poorly clad. Among St. Vincent’s writings are many and a treasure of the Church still used ot enlighten and educate. He was canonized by Calixtus III at theDominican Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Rome, 3 June, 1455. St.Vincent Ferrar was thus a renowned Saint of the Church a contemporary of saints like Francis Xavier and so on. He became an admired model to the priests and faithful of the Church in India and Kanara and was chosen to be the patron of Valencia Parish in Mangalore in 1935.

IJ Saldanha Shet - From Various in puts.