Fr Ivan Madtha receives CPCI National award for Excellence 2011
Mangalore Today News Network
By I J Saldanha Shet
Mangalore, Dec 5, 2011: Fr Ivan Madtha of Mangalore diocese received National Excellence Award 2011 from Catholic Priests’ Conference of India at a glittering function organized in Trichur, Kerala on 30th November 2011. This is one of the prestigious award given to a Catholic Priest for exceptional services rendered to the society at large. This award is given by the Catholic Priests’ Conference of India; it is the oldest Catholic Priests’ organization in the Country. This award is given once in five years.
Chief Guest of the Award function, Former Karnataka Lokayuktha Chairman and Anna Hazare Team member, Justice N Santhosh Hegde speaking on the occasion said, “The self-less service that we render to the community is serving God, I have done my schooling in Christian schools and I can say the these institutions serve the community well”.
While commending the award winners’, Archbishop of Trichur Rev. Dr. Andrews Thazath said, “Fr. Ivan Madtha is a wonderful priest. In spite of his 60% disability he renders great service to humanity. He is a role model and a great inspiration to all of us. His mission is not limited to a single locality but to the whole world”.
President of the CPCI Fr. Philip Kattakyam, said that this award is meant to recognize and appreciate Catholic priests who have excelled in service to humanity; like education, developmental work, human rights, alternative ministry, health, art and culture, pastoral work, media and communication, legal ministry, literature, and academics. It is proposed to choose priests from different sectors for innovation and creativity. The selection of award winners was done by a selection committee specially constituted by CPCI for this purpose.
Fr. Ivan Madtha of the diocese of Mangalore is given this award for the creative use of the art of magic for the promotion of the Kingdom values and for his great resilient enthusiasm in his mission even after losing one of his arms in a train accident. Fr. Ivan Madtha has performed around 1,300 Bible based and value based magic shows and reached 1.6 million people with God’s message. While receiving the award he expressed thanks to the CPCI, dedicated the award as an honour to the people for whom he is working. Fr. Ivan Madtha said, “This award fills me with more inspiration to work for God and man. The role of a priest cannot be limited just to a cult or ritual priesthood. His spirituality and talents should lead him beyond the four walls of the sanctuary to live and share the practical life of people”.
The others who received the award are: (1) Fr. Davis Chirammel of the Archdiocese of Trichur, for his creative contributions for health care, especially for organizing kidney donations and the Accident Care Transport Services, besides his social development efforts for the emancipation of the poor, (2) Fr. Anand Muttungal of Archdiocese of Bhopal for his great contribution in the area inter-religious peace and harmony and for empowering Christian people to strengthen democracy through their contribution, besides initiating services for the community development. (3) Fr. P.J. Jacob of the diocese of Belgaum, for his struggle to defend human rights of ordinary people. (4) Fr. Joe Pereira of the Archdiocese of Mumbai, recipient of Padmashri Award, a great Yoga Guru and also for his contribution to de-addiction works all over India.