Mangaluru: The Catholic Sabha Deanery which began in 1992-93, along with the Catholic Samajotsav, is about to celebrate their grand silver jubilee on January 28 at 3.30 PM at Alangar Church grounds. The main objectives of the convention is to display the unity and strength of the community, share thoughts on inter-religious harmony and establish a peaceful and empowered community.
Mangaluru Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza will preside over the programme. Many leaders of the community in various capacities will also be present for the celebrations. The Catholic Sabha Diocesan Founder-President and Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes will be the chief guest on the occasion. Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh President Anil Lobo will deliver the keynote address on the vision and future of the Catholic Sabha.
The honourable guests are Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh Spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Mathew Vas, Moodbidri Deanery Dean Rev. Fr. Paul Sequeira, MLC & Chief Whip Ivan D’Souza, MLA J R Lobo, former minister and MLA K Abhayachanadra Jain, former minister K Amaranatha Shetty, Zilla Panchayat Member Sucharitha Shetty and Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh President Valerian Fernandes.
In support of the Catholic Samajotsav, the procession of “Horekanike” will be held on Friday, January 26 at 3.30 PM from Swaraj Maidan, Moodbidri to Alangar Church grounds. The Catholic Sabha units from various parishes and deaneries will participate in this procession.
On this special occasion, the Catholic community will felicitate five achievers who have excelled in various fields:
Bishop Peter Sebastian Goveas
Bishop Peter Sebastian Goveas is the bishop of Bettiah Diocese, Bihar. He was born on February 8, 1955 at Hosabettu, Hospet, Mangaluru, in Karnataka.
After completing his secondary school, he entered St. John’s Regional Minor Seminary, Bhagapur to become a priest for the Diocese of Bhagalpur. He completed his philosophy studies at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi and at Morning Star College, Barrackpore, West Bengal and his theology at St. Albert’s College, Ranchi.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bhagalpur on December 9, 1983.
Father Goveas served the diocese in several capacities as parish priest, administrator of schools and diocesan consultant. In 2013, he became the Vicar General of the Diocese of Bhagalpur, an office in which he continued until named bishop.
Ronald Colaco
Ronald Colaco is an NRI businessman based in Dubai, whose ancestors originally hail from Moodbidri in Mangaluru taluk. He started his professional career in Oman in 1975 and worked in 8 Gulf and European countries starting as an accountant and soon becoming the head of accounts and administration and financial controller. He was elevated as commercial CEO for a consortium of 3 multinational corporates like CCICL based in Athens, Greece, Mannesmann of Germany and Saipemof Milano, Italy, involved in turn-key projects such as construction of world class petro-refineries, gas processing and re-injection plants, townships and airports.
He put his rich experience in diverse capacities to good use when he became an entrepreneur and since then it has been a saga of success all the way. Through his business acumen, hard work, dedication and disciplined approach, Ronald Colaco has become a successful entrepreneur of great repute.
Apart from being a successful entrepreneur in his own right, Ronald Colaco has been very active in promoting socio-cultural, charitable and philanthropic activities in his endeavour to give back to the society that he has come from, in a big way. His largesse has benefited the poor and the needy and various institutions and organisations irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion and language. He has been a pioneer in providing infrastructure facilities for the benefit of the public and has set a precedent for others to follow.
Many MNCs and corporates followed his footsteps to carry out their corporate social responsibility, resulting in creating essential international standard infrastructure in the state.
Colaco has been the recipient of a number of national and international awards in recognition of his charitable and philanthropic activities including the prestigious award from the office of The Prime Minister of Australia through CSIA which conferred the “2015 International Recognition Award for Leadership in Service Excellence” at the Australian Service Excellence award ceremony held in Melbourne in 2015-the only person chosen for this prestigious award internationally from among 80 countries.
Valentine D’ Souza
In September 2016, the state department of home affairs promoted Valentine D’Souza, who previously worked as the police inspector at the city crime branch (CCB) in Mangaluru Commissionerate as deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in City Crime Records Bureau (CCRB), Mangaluru.
Valentine D’ Souza is a resident of Kallianpur, Santhekatte in the Udupi district. He has become popular for taking strict action against the underworld and criminal elements. He has been a challenge for many anti-social elements. His service has been conducive for law and order in the district.
He has worked in different capacities as a sincere police officer in the Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts.
Eric Correa
Eric Alfred Correa, philanthropist, runs a firm that gives generators on rent and along with this business, he purchases land, builds houses and donates them to the needy, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. His projects Souharda Nagar I and II have provided housing to several needy families. Eric had single-handedly built and donated 34 houses to some of the poorest in Souhardha Nagar in Padumarnadu village in Moodibidri in 2012. He followed it up with the second project wherein 31 houses were donated to the poor at Puthige Village in Paladka in phase 1 of the project in April 2013.
The third of such projects, Souharda Nagar III from Sauharda Foundation, was launched at Murkathpalke in Guddeyangadi of Beluvai Gram Panchayat on May 14, 2017, wherein 32 houses were donated to the poor.
Eric Correa, who struggled to come up in life by starting as an office boy and slowly graduating to have his own business, has set an inspiring example for others to emulate. The inspiration he received and incidents from his own life, prompted him to do something to help those in need of homes. While people usually are able to feed and clothe themselves, having a home of their own is a dream for many and Eric decided to build houses for these people and help them realise their dreams. The result was Souharda Nagar.
After the first project of Sauharda Nagar -1, Souhardha Foundation, a trust was started and managed by Eric Correa with his friends Louis J Pinto, Titus A Noronha, John L D’Souza and Fr. J B Saldanha as trustees.
Michelle Queenie D’Costa
Michelle Queenie D’Costa, an engineering graduate secured the 387th rank in the Civil Services Examination in 2015, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
Michelle Queenie D’Costa comes from Niddodi, a village in Neerude in Mangaluru taluk, 20 kilometres away from the city. Her father Lazarus D’ Costa is a farmer at Neerude near Moodbidri. Her mother Hancy Felcy D’Costa is a home-maker. Michelle Queenie D’Costa has one elder sister and a younger brother.
