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Prayers are held in Kannada in Chikmagalur, B’lore, Shimoga

 Jagotik Konkanni Songhotton (JKS) in association with Catholic Konkani Rakann Sanchalan (Chikmagalur - Hassan) is organising a national convention on ’Konkani in liturgy’ at Catholic Club in Chikmagalur on March 10.

Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday, JKS (Secretary General) Eric Ozario said that the Constitution of India gives every one of its citizens the right to pray in their own mother tongue.
Even the Catholic church, realising this need at the second Vatican Council, had declared that every Catholic has a right to pray in vernacular language.  However, Konkani Catholics in many dioceses in India have been denied the right to pray in their mother tongue, despite their sizeable presence.

This is a crucial issue and needs to be addressed immediately, he stressed. The Diocese of Chikmagalur, the Archdiocese of Bangalore, the Diocese of Mysore and the Diocese of Shimoga are some examples, where a few Konkani liturgical services are held.

“Konkanis have demanded this right and have even agitated against this. Now to add to their woes, a few language fanatics in Karnataka have even begun attacking people praying in their mother-tongue, other than in Kannada. There has been many such instances of attacks on Konkani and Tamil masses,” he complained.

“If the presence of a language disappears from prayer service, then the language ultimately disappears. Latin is the biggest example for this. The language should be spoken for it to survive,” stressed Ozario. He also said that three Bishop Commission from Vatican visited Bangalore, with regard to organising masses in Konkani and the issue was represented by the JKS. The resolutions made in the seminar will be sent to Bishops and authorities concerned, he added.

Convention

At the convention, the key note address will be delivered by eminent Konkani Writer Vally Vagga. This will be followed by paper presentations on topics like, ’What is the church’s stand in the matter?’, ’What does the Constitution and the law of the land say?’, ’The Chikmagalur situation...,’ ’The Bangalore Situation,’ ’The Situation in Maharashtra,’ ’The Goa Situation,’ ’The Kerala Situation,’. There will be a general sessions on conclusions, declarations and resolutions. The website of ’Catholic Konkani Rakann Sanchalan’ will be launched on the occasion.