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Mangaluru: Renowned author, 'Laughter
Guru' John B Monteiro passes away at 86
Daijiworld Media NetworkMangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 16: Renowned author, 'LaughterGuru'andfounder oftheBondel LaughterClub,JohnB Monteiro, passedawayattheageof 86on Tuesday, July16, due toagerelatedailments.
JohnBMonteirowaswell-known for his bestselling books such as 'Corruption - Control of Maladministration' (300 pages, Allied Publications) and its update 'India’sPainfulCrawl toLokpal' (360 pages, published by Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Co.) 56 years later. He also authored 'The History of CASK (Canara Association of South Kanara) andOther Centenary
Institutions of Mangaluru' (400 pages).
Monteiro was a prolific writer in both print and electronic media, including the prestigious coastal region website, daijiworld.com, and was a permanent panel writer for the Daijiworld Weekly. Additionally, he had his own website, www.welcometoreason.co m,whichisnowdefunct.
Monteiro's writings were simple, filled with historical anecdotes, and carried a sense of humanism. His work was devoid of vulgarity or negativity. His love for writing was evident and touching, whether he wrote about acelebrity or aperson digging graves at the parish graveyard. He took care of the English section oftheBondel parish bulletin, 'Bondelchem Bonder', a monthly magazine.
Monteiro's lifestyle was simple and enterprising. He would rise sharply at5AM,perform initial prayers, and read before preparing tea for himselfandhiswifeLynette.Despite
Lynette's passing on August 11, 2017, he continued this routine. He would then walk to the nearby Bondel Public Grounds to conduct the'LaughterClub'sessionsforover 20 minutes. Monteiro introduced the concept of laughter therapy to Mangaluru after retiring from L&T in2000.
After the 'Laughter Session', he would attend the first Mass of the day at St Lawrence Church. He preferred a quiet life, avoiding unnecessary socializing and WhatsAppchats.
Born on July 17, 1938, in Bantwal, Mangaluru, to the late Hilary Monteiro and the late Carmine, Johnpursuedhisinitialeducation at the nearby church school before completing his graduation at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru. He then moved to Bombay to pursue post-graduate studies in economics, political science, and public administration at Bombay University.
After earning his post-graduate degree, Monteiro briefly taught at St Aloysius College before moving to Bombay, where he worked for reputed companies, including a 30year tenure in the communications
department of L&T. During this period, he contributed articles to well-known dailies such as the Evening News of India and Free PressBulletin.
Monteiro was also known as an 'unknown donor' who contributed tohumanitarian causes,adheringto the Biblical dictum, 'the left hand doesn’t know what theright handis doing' (Matthew6:3).
Comparisons have been drawn between Monteiro and Khushwant Singh, the renowned writer and former editor of the Illustrated WeeklyofIndia.Bothenjoyed good wine and whisky, along with the company of beautiful women. Monteiro's wife Lynette, however, wouldalwaysnotethathepreferred vodka because it did not smell. Notably, it was Khushwant Singh who published a special edition on 'Mangalorean Catholics' in 1970, with Monteiro writing the lead article, 'Canara Catholics'. Monteiro reproduced this edition 50 years latertocommemorate hisdaughter Primrose's golden birthday in 2020. Primrose is currently the managing editor of ‘Femina'.
At the L&T campus, Monteiro discovered the 'Laughter Club'
phenomenon and led sessions during lunchtime for his colleagues in Ballard Estate, South Bombay. Upon retiring and returning to Mangaluru,hededicatedhistimeto writing and social work, continuing the'Laughter Sessions' atBondel
Grounds.
Johnwas father to twochildren, Primrose (Prima) and Mohan, who aresettled withtheirspouses, Kevin D’Souza and Neisha Lobo, respectively, and their children, ZachandMaya.
Goodbye,Sir John
ByHemacharya
On the night of July 16, when Prim Rose (Prima), daughter of John B. Monteiro called me, I thought perhaps it was an invitation to attend thelatter’s 86th birthday. His 85th birthdaywascelebratedonthe same daylastyear infull fanfare,at his sprawling Johnlyn Cottage (named after him and his lovebird,
Lynette). Ihad the privilege toraise the toast. But today, Prima saidina low voice - "Daddy passed away in the evening," and explained about hisfinalmoments.
I knew John had a massive attack that put him off from his daily chores, but he was recuperating. I had visited him and hoped to see him backagain. But this was notto be.
Ilookedoutfrommywindow. Itwas pouring like cats and dogs. Now I realised why the nature was shedding tears the whole day. Fora while, I thanked Almighty for the personofJohnBMonteiroinourlife -suchagreatfriend,aprolificwriter, and more than anything else a
person who loved life to its fullest. He laughed at life, its agony and ecstasy. He was being nicknamed 'the laughter Guru' by a fewbut he had many titles, like ‘father in love’ to his daughters in law, ‘Papa John’ tohisniecesandgrandnieces.
He had nurtured a unique method of thanking our creator for giving a wonderful morning which eventually was called as ‘The Laughter Club’. Each session would start with giving praises andgraces to Almighty, before switching over to the light exercises. Many in the Bondel neighbourhood joined him. Though the cardiac arrest stopped him from leading the team, he quickly passed on the baton to his best friend, Kalil, so that his brainchild doesn’t suffer. Like Charlee Chaplin once said - "when you laugh,thewhole world laughs." He made the entire generation laugh,laugh andlaugh with him.
In this short article, I wish to highlight a few points as to why JohnB Monterio wassospecial and differentforallof us-
1. He was a crusader on corruption and wrote books such as 'Corruption - Control of Maladministration' (300pages)later its update 'India’s Painful Crawl to Lokpal' (360 pages) nearly 56 years later. Both were best seller books. He also authored 'The History of CASK (Canara Association of South Kanara) and Other Centenary Institutions of Mangalore. (400 pages).
2. He was a spontaneous writer, both in print and electronic media. His articles appeared regularly, on prestigious website, daijiworld.com. Hewasalsoonthepermanentpanel of writers on ‘daijiworld weekly’ (now defunct) besides his own website, www.welcometoreason.co m, which he operated andupdated allalone.
3. He was editing the English section of ‘Bondelchem Bonder’ a monthly magazine published by his Bondel parish in which he wrote about the celebrities and person digging a grave in the same vein. For him, both were two sides of the same coin.
4. Once I compared him to the thespian journalist Khushwant Singh for their common taste for
good wine and beautiful women. But his wife Linette disagreed and said – I don’t know about women, but he likes Vodka more than the wine,foritdoesn’tsmell.Khushwant Singh was hiscompatriot ashe was writing for the eveninger of the Times of India, including the IllustratedWeeklyofIndia.Inoneof the editions dedicated to ‘Mangalore’, Khushwant Singh had assigned John to write a special article, ‘Canara Catholics’ in which he had described the rich cultural valuesofthe coastalregion.
5. He was a silent donor who contributed to many philanthropic
activities. His love for the children provoked him start a ‘Toy Shop’ which is still operational at his residence.
6. Heusedtohosthisjournalistfriends over a few pegs and a sumptuous dinner. When asked if he is doing thisasa‘publicity stunt’, hejokingly said he gets a kick when he shares his drink with the less fortunate. I wasone amongtheless fortunate. Many called him in many names, I calledhim,SirJohn.
Goodbye SirJohntillwemeetagain. Iam sure your readers ofdaijiworld will miss you and your extensive articles.
Fr Arokia Raj Satis Kumar and Fr Joseph
Soosainathan: New Auxiliary Bishops of Bangalore
13-Jul-2024 4:40:06:pm
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Bangalore July 13, 2024 (CCBI) :
The Holy Father has appointed Fr Arokia Raj Satis Kumar (47), the Chancellor of the Archdiocese and Fr Joseph Soosainathan (60), Parish priest oftheSacredHeartchurchas the auxiliary bishops of Bangalore Archdiocese.
Bangalore Archdiocese
Fr Arokia Raj Satis Kumar was born on 5 September 1977 in Bangalore. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the St. Joseph’s Seminary, in the Diocese of Mangalore and was ordained priest on 2May2007 for the Archdiocese ofBangalore.
Hehasheldthefollowingdutiesand conducted furtherstudies: Assistant ParishpriestofSt.Joseph,St.Francis Xavier’s Cathedral and Christ the King in Malleswaram (2007-2010); master’s degree in Canon Law from the St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bangalore (2010-2012); Parishpriest of Christ the King in Malleswaram (2012-2014); Doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urban University of Rome (2014-2017); since 2017, Judge of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal; Since 2018, Rector of the Bhavan Bhakti Minor Seminary and Parish Administrator of Lourdes in Tumkur; from 2019, Chancellor Diocesan; from 2020, Professor of Canon Law at the St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bangalore; from 2021, Coordinator of the studies of the Major Seminarians.
Fr Joseph Soosainathan was born on 14 May 1964 in Bangalore. He
studied philosophy attheSt.Peter’s Pontifical Seminary andtheology at St. Paul’sSeminary inthediocese of Tiruchirappalli. He was ordained a priest on 15 May 1990 for the Archdiocese ofBangalore.
He has held the following duties: assistant parish priest of the St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier Cathedral (1990-1991); Parish priest of St. Anne (1991-1997), St. John Evangelist (1997-2004), OurLadyof Fatima (2004-2010 and2017-2020), Sts.PeterandPaul(2010-2017) and SacredHeart(from 2020).
The archdiocese of Bangalore hasa Latin Catholic population of 3,60,561, 134 parishes, and 157 diocesan priests. It covers 27,014 square kilometers, comprising the civil districts of Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Chickballapur, Kolar, Ramnagara,andTumkur.
The Archdiocesan territory was formerlypartoftheMysoreMission, which was separated from Pondicherry in 1845. The Mysore Mission was elevated to an apostolic vicariate in 1850 and elevated to a diocese with Bangalore as its headquarters in 1886. Thediocese ofBangalore was bifurcatedfromMysore onFebruary
13, 1940, and it became the archdiocese in1953.
Its former Archbishop Alphonsus Mathias passed away on July 10, 2024, at the age of 96, and his funeral is scheduled to be held
tomorrow, July 15, 2024. Archbishop Peter Machado (70) is the metropolitan archbishop of Bangalore, andAbp.BernardBlasius Moras (82) is the emeritus archbishop ofthearchdiocese.
Mangaluru: Bethany Foundation Day celebrated at St Theresa's School
Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul15: Thefoundation day of the congregation of the sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany was celebrated with great
joy and reverence at St Theresa's School. The management, staff and studentsgatheredinaspiritofunity and festivity to commemorate this significantoccasion.
The celebration began with a eucharistic service at St Sebastian
Church, Bendur, on July 12. The Mass was offered in honour of the
Servant of God, Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, the esteemed
founder of the Bethany congregation.
began his homily with a thought- provoking question: "Whoaspires
toenterheaven?"
Fr Chetan encouraged the students to embody the values exemplified byFr RFCMascarenhas andurged them to follow these virtues. He highlighted St Therese's teaching, asking the students to do small things with great love, emphasizing that even small actions can have a
big impact if done with care and kindness.
Drawing from the gospel readings, he used the example of sheep and dove toillustrate the importance of gentleness, humility, and submissiveness towards theelders. During the eucharistic celebration, the entire school community invoked theheavenlyfathertosoon raise Servant of God Fr R F C Mascarenhas to the honours of the altar and offered prayers for the BethanyCongregation.
The beautiful hymns and heartfelt intentions offered during the Mass deepened the spiritual connection with God. The mass ended with words ofgratitude.
Thehighschoolstudentscelebrated foundation day with great enthusiasm.
Sr Shubha BS, the superior of the Mother House, was the chiefguest, and Sr Shaila, BS, the school correspondent, added grace to the occasion withherpresence.
Class X students conducted an assembly to commemorate the occasion, under the able guidance of their teachers, they skillfully performed a dance drama titled 'Rooted in Faith, reaching out in
Love', which illustrated the core values and vision of the Father Founder, leaving a lasting impression on theaudience.
Thestudents alsopaidtribute tothe Bethany sisters of the institution by offering flowers, recognizing their dedication and hard work for the Bethanycongregation.
Thechiefguest,SrShubha,superior oftheMotherHouse,expressed her admiration for the students' performances and praised their efforts in making the assembly significant.ReferringtotheBible,Sr. Shubha narrated a parable about the house built on rock and sand, emphasizing the importance of building astrong foundation inall
aspects oflife.
Theentirestaffgatheredinthemain halltoexpress heartfeltgratitude to theBethanySistersofourschool for their exceptional service to the institution and society. The sisters were honoured by offering a bouquet as a token of love and appreciation for their outstanding contributions to the Bethany Congregation.
Staff and sisters also joined in a fellowship meal to mark and celebrate this significant occasion together.
Thefoundationdaycelebration atSt Theresa's School was a grand and memorable event.
Source: DaijiWorld.com
Join me in praising and thanking God for- His abundant blessings, infinite mercies & unconditional love to me, as I complete my Golden Jubilee in the Society of Jesus on 16 July 1974, (the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) I arrived at Newman Hall, Ahmedabad- my novitiate! Two days later, on 18 July 1974 I formally entered the Society. As I look back these fifty years, there are many who have accompanied me and helped my growth; there is much to be grateful for! Thank you for being part of my journey as a Jesuit Do continue to pray for me! God bless you and all that you do, abundantly! With my blessings, prayers and love Fr Cedric Prakash SJ
Pollution of the Mind and Tree of Wisdom
Dr. Charles Lobo
Eat Cricket, Drink Cricket, Sleep
Cricketisthepunchlineofafamous advertisement. Butifeverything you eat or drink or breathe is polluted? Theexperts inthefieldtellus about pollution day in and day out.
Organic vegetables and fruits are becoming popular due to the adulterated food items. Natural drinks are promoted by healthconscious industry. Theairpollution is difficult to control. We have
witnessed it after MCF, MRPL and Nandikoor Thermal Power set foot inourDistrict.Burningofplasticand carbon material is controlled by imposing penalty. Recently the newspapers reported about the water in Himachal Pradesh getting polluted by the industries and number of cancer cases increasing in HP. Most of the medicines we consume aremanufactured inSolan in Himachal Pradesh. In the same way, thenumber of cancerhospitals are increasing in the pristine Northeast which is full of virgin forests where the air is fresh and clean. But the reason for the increasing cancer cases must be found in the increasing pollution of food anddrinks.
The pollution of food and drinks and air can be controlled to some extent. Jesus says that which goes insidedoesnotpollute mananditis not ritually unclean. We pork eaters know it better although in the Old Testament eating pork istaboo. The Jews and Moslems still do not eat pork. What comes out of the body
is evil; it pollutes. Continuing Jesus says from the mind comes the evil thoughts, evil feelings, and evil desires. Today’s thought is tomorrow’s desire and morrows action. Controlling one’sthoughts is veryimportant. Buthow canonedo it.”?
Raisingawarenessaboutthings that pollute is very important both for items that go inside us and that come out. In the Schools the teachers impart education and values. They use the textbooks prescribed bythegovernment. They have no choice. The inputs that go intotheminds ofthescholarsshape their thoughts, desires and actions. If good thoughts are sown, it will give good fruits and good yield. If evil thoughts are sown, evil fruits must be harvested. The parable of the Sower explains this beautifully. Therefore, one must be careful about theinputs. Every intervention regarding changing the textbooks must be taken seriously by the teachers and parents alike. Mangalore Christinas
should be more active in such matters and should not wait for the Padre to give instructions and sermons. It is the future of your children andsociety.
A few days ago, there was a statement given bythe Chairmanof theNCERT regarding thetextbooks. Hesaidthatweshouldnotspoilthe minds of the students by telling them that the Hindus demolished the Babri Masjid or about the Godhra incident which witnessed the killing of so many people from the minority community. He justified it saying that it does not help in creating harmony. He suggested toreplace theterm Babri “masjid”withtheterm“threedomes structure.” The Babri masjid had threeGumbaz ordomes. Indirectlyit meansthesame.Itisanefforttosay that the Bajrang Dal activists demolished the three gumbaz structureandnotamasjid. Theword Masjid has been removed from the Chapter on politics of Class12.
This is a very delicate issue for the teacher of history or social studies
as the internet is full of information andreports aboutthe demolition of Babri masjid and any scholar can learn by himself and ask mischievous questions to the teacher. If the student asks the teacher about the name of the three-dome structure, she must answer that it is the Babri masjid. The changes suggested by the Chairman are opposed by some professors whowereinthetextbook committee, and they have asked to delete their names from list of the committee members printed on the textbook. Please note that the NCERT textbooks are adopted by the state governments to equip children to face competitive examinations like NEET, JEE and UPSC.
The changes made in the textbook of Class 11 reads as follows: “In theory, there may not be anything wrong with vote bank politics but only when vote bank politics leads tothemobilization ofasocialgroup to vote en-masse for a particular party during elections, this distorts
electoral politics. Here, the important feature is that the whole group works as a single monolithic unit during voting.” This passage was not there in earlier textbooks and its insertion is opposed by the political parties as well as scholars. Thus, the parents of the students must note the changes made and learntbyourstudents of11and12th class and teach them the correct factsbefore theyarepolluted. In this context we can recall the efforts made by the textbook revision committee in Karnataka under the Bommai Government. All the modifications suggested by his committee wereopposed tooth and nailbyscholarsaspushingHindutva into school curriculum. When the Congress Government came to power, corrigendum was issued for deleting the changes made by the Committee.
Baragur Ramachandrappa who was the Chairman of the Textbook committee prior to this Committee was brought back and another committeewassetuptore-examine
and suggest changes to the textbooks. The Committee is examining theissue.
Another issue raised by the Chairman of NCERT is about the word Bharat and India. He has said that both words can be used in the textbooks interchangeably as the Constitution of India uses both the words- IndiathatisBharat. Recently three penal codes have been amended. Theirearliernamestarted with Indian. E.g. Indian Penal code, IndianCriminal ProcedureCode and Indian Evidence Act. Now after the amendments Indian Penal Code will be known as Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita. The Indian Criminal Code willbe known asBharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhita and The Indian Evidence Act will be called as NagarikaSakshyaAdhiniyam. Thisis in Hindi. Guruji of the RSS wanted everyone to study Hindi and use Hindi. Tamil Nadu has opposed the revised nomenclature and has approached the Courts. They oppose imposition of Hindi language.
As per Chapter X titled Childrenof the Motherland in Bunch of Thoughts of Guruji till Sanskrit becomes popular, Hindi should be the officiallanguage. “Asasolution to theproblem of‘lingua franca’,till thetimeSanskrittakesthatplacewe shall have to give priority to Hindi on the score of convenience. Naturally we must prefer that form of Hindi which like all other Bharatiya languages, stems from Sanskrit and gets sustenance from Sanskrit for its future growth.” Ultimately it is Sanskrit which is going to be the language of Bharat like Latin which ruled the western world in the past. The word Bharat andBharatiya inthis citation should be noted. The day is not far off wheninsteadof KursaMullimDukhi Mata in Konkani, we will start singing StabatMaterDoloRosaand dominesco Bisco in Latin. If ‘they’ start using Sanskrit why should ‘we’ lag, some will ask. To quote Guruji, jiski lathi uska bains ; strength is virtue and weakness is sin; world worships
strength. Therefore, by pushing and forcing one can achieve the goal. Destabilization of people (Kuki-Zo) of Manipur and Abrogation of Article 370 are examples of use of force. According to Maj. Gen. V. G. Vombatkere (retd.) who is a Mangalorean and now settled in Mysore, NHRCwhichissupposed to protect therights ofthecitizens has issued a brochure “Human Rights for All”during thecelebration of 75 years of Independence (Amrit Kaal) which praises the human rights laid down in Manusmriti. This brochure, according to him, completely ignores the caste exploitations prescribed in the same book. He says that “Manusmriti does not contribute to the principles of justice and modern concepts of humanrights oflife, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution.” (Manusmriti and NHRC Status , Deccan Herald, 19.6.2024) Vombatkere means nine tanks and theplacewasinthenewsafewdays ago due to flooding in Ullal area.
Delhi University had recently proposed introducing Manusmritiin the syllabus of the University which waslater denied.
Pollution isdangerous andneeds to be controlled. Eating organic food and organic water and pure air should be our aim. Preventing pollution of mind is also important. The eight-fold path of Buddha teaches the importance of Right Thought. Jainism teaches the importance of Right Thinking. According to Aristotle “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” According to Plato “The price the good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” It is not sure if Plato was addressing Mangaloreans!
Tree of Life, Sidi Saiyyad Mosque, Ahmedabad
Recently I came across this novel initiative to protect our environment. “To fight the crisis, Jeet Milan Roche of the Forest Charitable Trust and Vijay Moras of CFAL have taken up a project to plant 45,500 trees on the banks of the river. The forest department is also helping the environmentalists. With this initiative, the coastal river isexpected toseethegrowth of the Kandla forest. These plants will be planted at the banks of the Netravati River, Udyavara, Kadekkaru, Pangla River, Swarna River, and Havanje Swarna River.” It isallegedthattheSmartCityproject isdestroying theKandlaforestwhile developing theNetravatiRiverfront.
Kandla forest cultivation has been taken upby theGoa government in a big way because that saved Goa from Cyclone. Tiswadi, the main island of Goa where Panaji and Old Goa are located is surrounded by two rivers- Mandovi and Zuari. Mangalore is also an island
surrounded by Netravathi and Gurupur. This realization comes when one stands on Tannibavi island and looks eastward. But Mangalore- now controlled by the sand mafia and the real estate lobby- will learnthe lessonthe hard way after destroying everything.
The Pavoor- Uliya sand mining and Kateel sand mining has made headlines.
In2147 (ifwearealive)watchforthe news in the newspapers under this caption: Thelastsurvivingcoconut treeofMangaloreisnomore.
Kitchen':
Letter tothe Editor: Ireallyliked issue355 forthree major reasons, besides of course ithadenough infoabout'Anna's
1.Exclusivearticle bymyfriendHRAlvawithrare pictures on the Archbishop Emeritus MostRevDrAlphonse Mathias.
2.Anindefinite article aboutthesudden passing awayofdeputy editor of VEEZ,FrancisPanchuBantwal withahearttouchingeulogy byhisprodigy ManuBantwal.And
3.Anexcellentarticle byCharles Loboabouttheinitiative andinitiation of Konkani Railwayandwhythemerger ofKRCPL withIndian Railwaysisgoing tobecatastrophic. Congratulations toallthecapable authors.
-Hemacharya
Father Muller's Presilla Wilma
D’Souza honoured
with Florence Nightingale Award
MediaRelease
Mangaluru, Jul 18: In a momentous ceremony, nurse
Presilla Wilma D’Souza received the esteemed Florence Nightingale Award, a testament to her exemplary dedication andservice in the field of nursing. The award, instituted by the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India in 1973, recognizes the meritorious contributions of nurses and nursing professionals to society.
Presilla, born on May 26, 1984, in Madanthyar, Dakshina Kannada,
was honoured for her outstanding contributions to patient care, particularly in oncology. The award was presented by Dinesh Gundu Rao, minister for health and family welfare, government of Karnataka, during aceremonyheldonJuly12.
Presilla’s journey in nursing began with her general nursing and
From L to R: Sr Nancy, Fr Jeevan, Nurse Presilla, Fr Richard, Fr Neelesh Crasta and SrDhanya midwifery (GNM) studies at Father Muller College from 2002 to 2005. Sheinitiallyservedasastaffnurseat Father Muller’s until 2009. After a brief hiatus tofocus on herfamilyhusbandArunMalcom D’Souzaand children Alok, Alisha, and Alrik, she re-joined Father Muller’s as an incharge nurse in the Sacred Heart Ward,anoncology unit.
In 2018, Presilla further honed her skills by completing the central venous access devices (CVAD) course at TATA Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. She has since performed over90peripherally insertedcentral catheter (PICC) insertions and received the Best Ward In-charge Award atFather Muller’s.
FrRichardAloysius Coelho, director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions, congratulated Presilla and expressed his gratitude for her unwavering commitment to patient
care.Heemphasizedhervitalrolein the Sacred Heart Ward, providing exceptional care to cancerpatients.
Fr Jeevan George Sequeira, administrator, proudly noted that forthepastfouryears,anursefrom Father Muller Medical College Hospital has been recognized with thisprestigious honour.
Wishes of appreciation also poured infrom SrDhanyaDevasia,principal of FMCON, and Sr Nancy Priya Mathias, chief nursing officer, who commended Presilla for her dedication and professional excellence.
Presilla’s recognition with the Florence Nightingale Award underscores her profound impact on the lives of countless patients and herexemplary contributions to the nursing profession. Her story is aninspiration tonurseseverywhere, highlighting the importance of compassion, skill, and dedication in healthcare.
Honest Healing
Truth, like surgery, cuts to the core, It hurts, it stings, but then restores. It’s painful touch, though harsh and cold, Leaves us stronger, brave, and bold.
A lie, a balm, quick to soothe, Instant comfort, but untrue. It lingers, with side effects that stay, A shadow that won’t fade away.
Choose the truth, though it may ache, For in its wake, true peace we make.
By: Stany Jovin Menezes – Muscat / Pangla
“Empowering Voices”: Harold D’Souza Leads ODVN Panel on Human Trafficking Solutions
Columbus, Ohio - July 16, 2024
The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) hosted an impactful panel discussion on July 16th, 2024, titled "Supporting Survivors from Underserved Populations." This pivotal event brought together key voices in the advocacycommunitytoaddress the unique challenges faced by survivors who are often marginalized in the fight against domestic violence and human trafficking. Among the distinguished panelists
was Harold D’Souza, a globally recognized survivor advocate and the only male labor trafficking and debtbondage survivoronthepanel.
D’Souza’sparticipation underscored the vital importance of inclusive representation insurvivoradvocacy, shedding light on the oftenoverlooked issue of male labor trafficking. D’Souza's personal journeyfrom beingavictimoflabor traffickinganddebt bondage in the United States of America to becoming an advisor to the White House has inspired countless individuals worldwide.
Moderating this profound discussion was Jasmine Myers, Program Support Manager at ODVN. Myers skillfully guided the conversation, ensuring that the voices of survivors were at the forefront. Her expertise and commitment to supporting underserved populations were evident as she navigated complex topics andhighlighted the systemic barriers that these survivors face.
violence and human trafficking cases.Italsodelvedintothespecific needs of survivors from rural areas, immigrant communities, and LGBTQ+ populations. By bringing these critical issues to light, ODVN aims to drive systemic change and improve support systems for all survivors.
The panel discussion covered a broad range ofissues,including the intersection of gender, race, and economic status in domestic
Oneofthe mostinspiring moments of the event was D’Souza's recounting of his harrowing yet triumphant journey. He spoke candidly about his experiences, from being exploited as a labor trafficking to his eventual rescue and his current role as a global advocate. His story is a powerful
testament to the resilience of the humanspiritandthetransformative power of advocacy. Adding to the excitement surrounding D’Souza's advocacy work, a Bollywood biopic blockbuster silver screen film is currently in production, chronicling his extraordinary journey. The film will portray his path from India to becoming a key figure in the White House, highlighting his relentless fight against human trafficking and hiseffortstoraiseglobalawareness. Thiscinematic projectaimstoreach a wide audience, spreading D’Souza’s message of hope and resiliencewhileeducatingthepublic about the realities of labor trafficking.
The panel discussion and the upcoming film reflect a growing recognition of the need for diverse and inclusive narratives in the fight
against domestic violence and human trafficking. ODVN's commitment to amplifying the voices of all survivors, particularly those from underserved populations, is a crucial step towards achieving justice and support for everyone affected by these issues.
ODVN extends its heartfelt gratitude to all the panelists and attendees who contributed to this significant event. The organization remains dedicated to its mission of supporting survivors, advocatingfor systemic change, and fostering a communitywhereallindividualscan live free from violence and exploitation.
For more information about ODVN and its initiatives, please visit [ODVN's website](https://www.odvn.org).
StAgnes College students clear ACCApapers
St Agnes College (Autonomous) is extremely proud of Ms Preema's accomplishments and the current students who have passed their ACCA exampapers.
Thefollowing students cleared their ACCA papers inthe Junewindow:
Ms Preema Monteiro, an alumna of St Agnes College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, has cleared ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK) papers for which the exams were held in June 2024.
Ms. Preema, now an ACCA affiliate, was a student at St. Agnes College, where she completed her BCom integrated with ACCA in2019.
Ms. Preema is the daughter of Mr. Philip Monteiro and Mrs. Precilla Monteiro. She is presently working as an engagement auditor at RSM, Kuwait.
Sanjana, Archana, Derisha, Nirupama, Varsha, Shebelle, Esha, Calvisha, Krupa, Nicole (Financial Reporting), Malavika, Navyashree, Smithashree (Financial Management), Vinitha (Audit and Assurance), Sheryl, Sherlita (Strategic Business Reporting), Alisha, Lenisha (Advanced Financial Management), Laisha (Advanced Audit and Assurance and Strategic Business Reporting).
ACCA is the world-leading qualification which would equip students with the most up-to-date skills inaccountancy andfinance, to ensure acareerinany direction and become thesuccessful,sought-after
finance professional the world needs.
St Agnes College is the first college in Mangalore to begin BCom with
an ACCA-integrated batch in 2016. Since then, the college has had 17 ACCA affiliates, with Ms Preema being the latestaddition to thelist.
St Aloysius holds Students Council 2024-25 Investiture Ceremony
The Investiture Ceremony of the Students’ Council 2024-25 of St Aloysius (Deemed tobe University), Mangaluru was held on 18th July 2024 in the L F Rasquinha Hall of LCRI Block. Prof. (Dr) P. L. Dharma, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, Mangaluru, wasthechief guest. Rev. Fr Melwin Joseph Pinto SJ,Rectorof StAloysius Institutions presided over the programme. Rev. Dr Praveen Martis SJ, Vice Chancellor; DrAlwynD’Sa,Registrar of the College; DrRonaldNazareth, Registrar of the University, DrAnup
Denzil Veigas, Director, Students’ Council; Ms Binni Chan, Assistant Director, Students’ Council and Students’ Council leaders were on thedais.
Prof. (Dr) Dharma in his speech congratulated the elected office bearers of the Student Council. He said that students should accept challenges and develop good leadership qualities and become role models for others. Similarly, they should have good ideas and should implement the ideas with greatresponsibility. “Position gives
power, and you must exercise the power responsibly”, he said. Not only that, but he also emphasized the importance of leadership. He also praised the 'Wall of Compassion', 'One Rupee Revolution' and'Integrity Shop' run
by the members of the students’ Council.
Addressing the students, Rev. Dr Praveen Martis, SJ said, “Leadership is the special quality that you have in yourselves. Develop Good qualities toprove yourselves as
good leaders.” He suggested that the Students’ Council members should collaborate with the staff and encourage the involvement of students in the institutional activities.
TheRector,FrMelwinPinto,SJinhis
Presidential remarks said, “Leadership is not a position, it is a passion. Be proud of where you come from and develop the power of empowerment. Being on the Council is not a privilege, but a responsibility. Your service to the
need of the hour. Be a true leader and become a role model to others.”
Rev. Dr Praveen Martis, SJ administered the Oath to the President Vance Rion D’Souza III B.B.A. after which, Vance Rion D’Souza administered the Oath to the Vice President, Fathimath Thoufira Bangana, III B.Sc.; Secretary, Anson Rego, II B.Com.;
Joint Secretary, Shaina Chrystle DSouza, II B.Com.; Cultural Secretary, Mundabettu Advika Shetty, II BCA, Sports Secretary, Aarlyn Diona Lobo, III B.C.A.; Vice Chancellor’s Nominee, Vinay Satish Mayekar, III B.A. and all the Class Representatives and Association Secretaries.
On this occasion, the Students’ Council Directory was released by theChiefGuest.
The Directors of various blocks, Dr Charles Furtado, Dr Narayana Bhat, Dr Asha Abraham, Dr Denis Fernandes, Dr Loveena Lobo and the Deans of various streams were present duringprogramme.
MsBinni Chan,AssistantDirector of the Students’ Council introduced the chief guest. Faye Rodrigues meticulously compered the programme. DrAnupDenzil Veigas welcomed the gathering. Vance RionDSouza,President ofStudents’ Councilrenderedthevoteofthanks.
Agnes College (Autonomous) Mangaluru
The Eleventh Graduation Day of St Agnes College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, was held on 13 July
2024 at 11:00 AM in the Mother MaryAloysiaCentenaryAuditorium. Thisdaywasanoutcome of an
academic accomplishment of our students whograduated in theyear 2022-2023.
Mrs. Sheryl Preethika, Department of MBA was the compere of the programme. Theeventcommenced
with Nadageethe by Dr. Shailaja K, HOD - Faculty of Kannada. Sr. Dr. Vinora A.C., PG Co-ordinator, welcomed the gathering and introduced the chief guest Prof. Dr. M.S. Moodithaya, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, NITTE(Deemedtobe
University), Mangaluru.
Sr. Dr. M Venissa A.C., Principal of the College administered the oath
tothe freshgraduates. Sr.Dr. Maria Roopa A.C., Joint Secretary of St. Agnes Institutions, Sr M. Sudeepa A.C., Secretary A.C. Educational Society, Sr. Carmel Rita A.C., Administrator graced this occasion with theirpresence. Itwasattended by the Deans of all streams, Members of various Board of Studies, Board of Examiners, Members ofPTAoftheCollege, the members of Governing Body and Academic Council of the College underAutonomy.
The Convocation message was delivered by Prof. Dr. M.S. Moodithaya, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru. Dr. M.S. Moodithaya congratulated all the graduates on their achievement for gainingfulfilmenton thisday.Inhis Graduation Day Address, he said that this day is marked as a significant moment for their hard work andperseverance astheystep out of the portals of their Alma Mater into this enormous world, thereby making an immense contribution totheeconomy of this country.
He emphasized on the factthatthe graduates should be privileged to be educated in the century old prestigious institution like St Agnes College for the quality education provided tovarious generations. He advised the students to believe in the Kaizen concept, enhance and understand the importance of soft skills and ensure to follow their competency, potential and personality. Heurgedthemtobean ability and credibility of being an asset to the nation, acquire an attitude for gratitude that needs to be developed in an individual’s life. He advised them to focus on three C’s, condition they live in, competency in what they do and most importantly the character throughout theirjourneyoflife.
Sr. Maria Shamita A.C., Provincial Superior, Apostolic Carmel, Karnataka Province presided over the function and in her presidential address, congratulated the graduates on their academic triumph andadvisedthemtorejoice intheirsuccess.She emphasised on taking up new possibilities and being a meaningful contribution to the societyenhancingtothewealth
of knowledge and experience. She expressed that the world needed their unique voice, innovative spirit and compassionate outlook and advised to follow three C’s for their personal life i.e. courage, creativity andcompassion.
Dr. Nancy H Vaz, Registrar and Controller of Examinations presented 520 graduates of which 89 were postgraduates and 431 were undergraduates, to Sr Maria Shamita A. C., the Provincial Superior, Apostolic Carmel, Karnataka Province to accept them forthe Degree.
Mrs. Shubharekha, Dean of
Administration announced the names of the 17 rank holders and they were felicitated with Rank Certificates and Cash Prizes. Dr. Kavyashree K B, Department of PG studies Psychology, Dr. Nagesh, Dean-FacultyofArts,DrItaDsouza, the IQAC Co-ordinator, Mrs. Nimitha K, Dean - Faculty of Commerce and Management announced the names of the graduates from their respective faculties.
Dr V. Premanand, HOD, of MSc. in Psychology, proposed the vote of thanksandtheeventwasconcluded byNationalAnthem.
Vianney Deanery YCS/YSM Exposure cum Orientation program held at Christ the King Church, Jogfalls, Diocese of Shimoga.
Shivamogga, July 15, 2024: On July 14, 2024, Christ the King Church in JogfallshostedtheVianneyDeanery
Commission Diocese of Shimoga,
gathering over 80 young students and15animators.
The Joga ICYM local committee ensured the event's success. Fr Salvador Rodrigues, Parish Priest of Christ the King Church, Jogfalls, opened the event with a prayer. Fr Franklin D'Souza, the Shimoga Diocesan YCS/YSM Chaplain, delivered an inspiring keynote address, setting the tone for the day's activities.
Ms Jesvita D'Souza, the Karnataka Regional YCS/YSM President, sharedherpersonal journeyandthe transformative impact of the YCS/YSM movement.
Thedayconcluded withthe Holy
Eucharist, emphasizing YCS/YSM values. Participants were then treated to an excursion to Jogfalls, allowing them to experience the YCS/YSM methodology firsthand. This exploration not only fostered camaraderie but also deepened their understanding of the movement's values. The event provided an invaluable opportunity
for all attendees to connect, learn, and grow within the YCS/YSM community.
YCSYSMLady Animator -SrTreesa Lidiya, YCS YSM vice-president Ms Anisha Rodrigues, YCS YSM Regional President Ms Jesvita D'Souza, YCS YSM Regional Representative MrSamson D’Souza,
