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Udupi : For the first time in the history of Udupi Diocese the Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh will be observing the historic Samudayotsava 2020 on 19 January 2020 in the ground of Mount Rosary Church, Santhekatte, Kallianpur, said Alwyn Quadros, President of Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh ®.

Addressing a Media Conference at Udupi Press Club on Tuesday, January 7, Quadros said that Catholic Sabha that was inaugurated by the former Bishop of Mangalore. Most Rev. Dr. Basil D’Souza on 29 April 1979 at the Don Bosco Hall of Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi has been active in political, social, economic, educational and cultural fields with the aim of service, sacrifice and unity.

He said that since the inception of the Udupi Diocese in 2012, the Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh was established on 21 April 2013 which has been functioning at three levels-unit, deanery and central. There are 51 parish level units committees, 5 Deanery committees and one central committee. During the last six years, the Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh has won two national commendations from All India Catholic Union.

During the 7 years of its existence, the Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh has been reaching out to the marginalized and the poor. Through its co-organization Sashaktha Samudaya Seva Trust, the Catholic Sabha has provided educational help to 98 students amounting to Rs. 5.69 lakhs. It also gave medical assistance amounting to Rs. 3.64 lakhs to 46 patients 36 families were provided financial help to construct their own houses amounting to Rs.8.45 lakhs. Beides, through John D’Silva Foundation, Mumbai so far 714 students were honoured with Pratibha Puraskar. Every year, Catholic Sabha, Udupi Pradesh has been providing Manipal Konkani Health Protection Cards to 13,000 families by which the Christian community has saved around 3 crores of rupees. Around 123 poorer families were issued free Manipal Health cards amounting to Rs. 1.82 lakhs, he said.

Alwyn Quadros said that Samudayotsava 2020 is being organized with an aim of strengthening the progressive Catholic community and empowers it economically, socially and politically, to promote its unity and to discuss its future course of action.

During the Samudayotsava 2020 Rally various religious and community leaders will air their opinion and views on the key issues. Mrs. Margaret Alva-former Governor of Uttarakhand, Bishop of Udupi Diocese-Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Archbishop of Bengaluru Archdiocese-Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado. Mangaluru Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Former MLA J.R. Lobo, retired KAS Officer Antony Mendonca, senior journalist Gabriel Vaz, senior political leader from Maharashtra-Mrs. Jannet D’Souza and a number of religious, social and political leaders will participate in the rally, he said.

He said that on this occasion achievers from the Catholic community in five fields -agriculture, native medicine, political leadership, social service and media and those natives of Udupi District who have achieved merit during the last two years abroad or in other states of India as well as directors of cooperatives. APMCs, gazetted and higher officials and those serving in different organizations will be felicitated.  

Rev Fr. Ferdinand Gonsalves, Spiritual Director, Spiritual Director, Santhosh Cornelio General Secretary, Elroy Kiran Crasto Convener of Samudayotsava – 2020 and former President of Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh, Valerian Fernandes Immediate past president, Jerald Rodrigues were present on the press meet.