Catholics to celebrate silver jubilee of Pope’s visit to Mangalore

Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 24 January 2011: The announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he will beatify his predecessor, Pope John Paul II on May 1 this year in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, has doubled the joy for the Catholic community here, who have been preparing to celebrate the silver jubilee of Pope John Paul II visit to the city on February 6.

 

The Mangalore Diocese authorities are chalking out programmes to mark the occasion in a meaningful manner. To think of it, the papal visit here was nothing short of a pleasant surprise, as Pope John Paul II was scheduled to visit Bangalore that year. Fr Ravi Santosh Kamath, director, Institute for Foreign Languages, recalled that as the atmosphere in Bangalore was not conducive, the Pope decided to visit the "Rome of the East."

 

Fr Kamath, who acted as a translator for the Pope, from Italian to English and vice versa, recalls vividly that Bajpe was chosen as the spot for the address as no ground in the city was fit enough to accommodate the gathering. According to estimates, the congregation was by far, the largest assembly ever in the undivided district of Dakshina Kannada crossing four lakh.

 

 

The Pope arrived by the special flight from Goa and was at Bajpe for two hours. Ushered in with a traditional aarti, the Pope was presented with a shawl prepared by the inmates of Fr Muller Charitable Institutions by late Blasius D’Souza, the representative of the state and the diocese. The Pope delivered his message in Konkani and Kannada, said Fr Kamath.

 

Businessman V U Seemon, who chauffeured the Pope from the airport to the venue, said it was the most momentous occasion of his life. "I was in the organizing committee. The Bishop offered me the job of chauffeuring the Pope. I cannot remember much what went on that day as I was on cloud nine," he added.

 

Some of the dignitaries present on the occasion were the then governor A N Banerjee, Congress leaders Janardhana Poojary, Oscar Fernandes, then Archbishop of Bangalore Pakiam Arokiaswamy, then Bishop of Mangalore Rev. Basil D’Souza, then mayor CK Bantwal among others.     

- Stanley G. Pinto, TNN