Moodubelle: A hearty welcome to Fr. Maxim D’souza and a warm farewell to Fr. Naveen Pinto

Report and Pictures by Eugene Moodubelle

Moodubelle, 24 January 2010: A twin programme to welcome Fr. Maxim D’Souza and bid farewell to Fr. Naveen Pinto, assistant parish priest was held in the church following the morning Mass on Sunday, 24th January 2010. Fr. Paul Sequeira who anchored the programme briefly explained the purpose of the programme.

On behalf of the parish community, Mr. Henry Fernandes, the Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council extended a  hearty  welcome to Fr. Maxim D’Souza who had arrived in Moodubeelle on last Sunday, 17th January 2010 and has already taken charge of St. Lawrence English Medium High School from 18th January 2010 as its Headmaster. Mr. Herny Fernandes also  bid a warm farewell to Fr. Naveen Pinto and recalled his service to the parish community during the last eight months of his stay at Moodubelle and wished him well in his B.Ed. studies for which he will be proceeding to Kemmanu parish as resident priest from where he will continue his B.Ed. education in Dr. T.M.A. Pai College of Education at Kunjibettu. The choir sang two separate songs- one welcoming Fr. Maxim D’Souza and the other bidding adieu to Fr. Naveen Pinto.
Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the parish priest, welcomed Fr. Maxim and hoped that under him the English Medium School will have a better future. He also appreciated the service rendered by Fr. Naveen to the parish and wished him well in his future studies.

In his brief address, Fr. Maxim thanked the priests and the parishioners for extending a hearty  welcome to him and sought their cooperation in administering the English Medium School as its Headmaster. Fr. Naveen in his farewell address expressed his happiness at the guidance and cooperation extended by Fr. Joswey, Fr. Paul and Fr. Arun and  for the love and affection showered on him  and for arranging a warm send off by the parishioners of Moodubelle.

Fr. Joswey garlanded both Fr. Maxim and Fr. Naveen and Mr. Henry Fernandes offered garlands for both the incoming and outgoing priests on behalf of the parish community.  Later, some of the parishioners personally met and  said good bye to Fr. Naveen by offering him flowers or just shaking his hand.

In the parish hall, the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) and the Young Christina Students (YCS) organised a small programme welcoming Fr. Maxim D’Souza. On behalf of the ICYM, Miss Brenda Martis, president of  the ICYM and on behalf of YCS, Mika D’Souza, president of the YCS offered floral garlands to Fr. Maxim D’Souza.

Fr. Naveen Pinto

Fr. Naveen Pinto from Shamboor parish which was originally a part of Borimar near Bantwal was born of 18th April 1979 as sthe eldest among three children, two sons and a daughter of Vincent and Cecilia Pinto. After completing primary education at Shamboor, Fr. Naveen continued his education at Panemangalore till SSLC which he cleared in 1995. Later he completed PUC in St. Aloysius College, Mangalore and graduated in Arts stream (BA) with History, Economics and Sociology from St. Philomena’s Collegee, Puttur.

Fr. Naveen joined  St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore in 2000 and was ordained a priest on 15th April 2008. Soon after ordination, Fr. Naveen was sent to St. Sebastian’s Parish of Bendoor, Mangalore as the assistant parish priest where he served for one year. On 26th May 2008, he came to Moodubelle as assistant parish priest. As Fr. Naveen was keen to acquire B.Ed. degree in order to be qualified as a teacher , the diocesan authorities permitted him to join Dr. T.M.A. Pai College of Education at Kunjibettu near Udupi. The B.Ed. classes have already started from 20 January 2010. As commuting from Moodubelle to Udupi to attend the classes would be time consuming, Fr. Naveen is being provided residence nearer to Udupi at Kemmanu parish. He will be going to Kemmanu on Tuesday, 26th Janauray 2010, exactly eight months since his arrival at Moodubelle as the assistant parish priest.

During this short period of his service at Moodubelle as the assistant parish priest, besides other priestly duties and functions, Fr. Naveen took keen interest in singing, playing the organ and conducting choir during liturgical services. Always smiling and jovial, Fr. Naveen endeared to the parishioners of Moodubelle.

Fr. Maxim D’Souza

Fr. Maxim D’Souza, the new priest who had arrived  in Moodubelle on Sunday, 17th January 2010  has already taken up the charge of St. Lawrence English Medium High School as the Headmaster from Monday, 18th January 2010. Born on 8th August 1978 at Miyar near Karkala, Fr. Maxim is the youngest among five children, two sons and three daughters of Michael and Lilly D’Souza. One of his sisters, Sr. Pavana has joined the Sisters of Charilty Congregation and is presently serving in a Convent in Nepal.

Fr. Maxim had his primary education at Miyar and  completed SSLC and PUC in Bhuvanendra High School and College, Karkala. After completing PUC in 1996, Fr. Maxim joined St. Philomena’s Colelge, Puttur for graduation and like Fr. Naveen, acquired BA degree with History, Economics and Sociology subjects.

Following graduation, Fr. Maxim joined St. Joseph’s Seminary in 2000 and was ordained a priest on 17th April 2007. The first assignment of Fr. Maxim was at the parish of St. Lawrence at Bondel where he served for 20 months. In order to continue his education and acquire B.Ed. degree, Fr. Maxim joined Dr. T.M.A. Pai College of education at Kunjibettu near Udupi in 2009 and stayed at the Church of St. Francis Xavier at Udyavar till he completed the B.Ed. examination, whose results were declared on Sunday, 23rd January 2010 and Fr. Maxim has cleared the examination in first class with distinction. It is hoped that under the dynamic leadership of Fr. Maxim D’Souza, St. Lawrence English Medium High School will prosper academically and in other cocurricular and extra-curricular activities.

While Bellevision bids adieu to Fr. Naveen Pinto and wish him well in his B.Ed. studies, it extends a warm welcome to Fr. Maxim D’Souza and wishes him success as the Headmaster of St. Lawrence English Medium High School.