Shirva: New Block of St. Mary’s College inaugurated and Blessed

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

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Shirva, 25 August 2011: The  University Grants Commission (UGC) Assisted  New Block of St. Mary’s College, Shirva with spacious class rooms, conference hall with LCD facility, computer laboratory, large library and College Hall with modern amenities was inaugurated,  blessed  and dedicated by Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore  on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 9.30 am. Rev. Fr. Richard Coelho, Administrator, FMMCH, Mangalor, who earlier as the Parish Priest of Shirva was instrumental in starting the Post Graduate (PG) Courses in St. Mary’s College and who had laid the foundation stone for the New Block on April 12, 2010, unveiled the granite slab formally inaugurating the New Block of the College.

 

The stage programme was held in the newly built college auditorium. Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Rev. Fr. Richard Coelho, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro and Dr. J.C. Miranda, Principal of the College were on the dais. Following the prayer song, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro, Correspondent of St. Mary’s College welcomed the guests and the audience.

 

The donors and the engineer, contractor and electrician of the New Block  were felicitated by Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza  by presenting them mementos. The names were read out by Dr. Ganesh Bhat.

 

 

In his address, Rev. Fr. Richard Coelho narrated the circumstances that led to the starting of PG Courses in the College when he was the Parish Priest and Correspondent of St. Mary’s College just for a period of two years and appreciated the support of the parishioners and the Bishop for his venture which has become a reality with the inauguration of the New Block. He emphasized the need of higher education and how the students should take advantage of the new technological facilities provided in the college to excel themselves in their field of study.  He also stressed on the goal setting by the students and how they can achieve these goals by hard work and dedication.

 

In his presidential message, the Bishop at the outset said, “This is the day that Lord had made, let us rejoice.” He was referring to the arrival of the Relic of St. Don Bosco to the parish of Shirva at 9 am and the inauguration and blessing of the New College Block. The Bishop also quoted Martin Luther King Jr’s famous speech, “I have a dream...” and asked the students to have dreams of achieving success in their lives through higher education. Narrating the change of perspective towards  education, the Bishop said that  primary education and gradually SSLC were the dreams of the students of the bygone era. A student with SSLC certificate was considered highly educated and could easily get jobs in government, banks and other departments. However, with the passing time even degrees are not sufficient and students have to take up PG Courses so that they can get decent jobs and make progress in their careers.  He congratulated St. Mary’s College for having a New Block with modern facilities and asked the students to make best use of these facilities and achieve success in their lives.

 

Dr. J.C. Miranda, Principal of St. Mary’s College proposed  the vote of thanks.

 

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