Mangaluru: “Catholic Maha Samavesha – 2020”, a catholic conference will be held at the premises of the Sacred Heart Church, Madanthyar on Sunday, February 2.
Rolphy D’Costa, president of the Catholic Sabha Mangaluru Pradesh, said, “The intention of the conference is to unite the Catholic youth, women leaders and religious under one roof. Discussions regarding the people of Catholic community and their problems and solutions will be held. Along with the issues of the Catholic community, the conference will also urge the government to provide an independent Christian Development Corporation and earmark Rs 500 crores for the welfare of the Catholic community. If the government consents to setting up a separate Christian Development Corporation, it will help us get more grants from the government in the future. In addition to that, we also urge the government to declare September 8 as a government holiday as we celebrate the feast of Nativity on that day across coastal Karnataka.”
Lamenting about how some of the youth in Catholic community fall prey to some social evils like ganja, mobile games (PubG) and others, he said, “As a large number of our community is addicted to these, there is a need to impose a ban on these social evils and the conference will urge the Government to take appropriate measures in this regard,” he added.
Mangaluru Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha will inaugurate the conference and Bishop of Beltangady Syro Malabar Diocese Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhi will deliver the keynote address. Bishop of Puttur Syro Malankara Diocese Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios will bless the event. Over 25,000 delegates from various corners of Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod will participate in the conference. Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha, entrepreneur Ronald Colaco, KPSC member Ronald Fernandes and others will participate in the conference as resource persons, he informed.
Catholic Sabha director Fr Mathew Vas, ICYM director Fr Ronald D’Souza, assistant parish priest, Madanthyar priest Fr Stany Pinto, Catholic Women’s Wing director Fr Francis D’Souza, Catholic Women’s Board president Terry Pais, Catholic Sabha former president Lancy D’Cunha, ICYM president Leon Saldanha, convener Joel Mendonca, media adviser Elias Fernandes and FUDAAR Prathistan secretary L J Fernandes were present.
