Mangaluru: Founder’s Day celebration at Holy Cross Church, Cordel, honors Frad Saib
Mangaluru, Dec 11: The Holy Cross Church in Cordel marked the 146th death anniversary of its founder, Rev Fr Alexander Dubois, affectionately known as “Frad Saib,” with a solemn mass held at the church grounds.
Bishop of Mangalore Catholic Diocese, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, officiated the mass and extended his blessings to the congregation. In his sermon, he emphasized the significance of salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ and praised Frad Saib’s dedication, which led to the establishment of the sacred Holy Cross Church in Cordel.
“Honoring one’s parents is a divine virtue that invites blessings from God. Recognizing and rectifying mistakes is crucial. The Word of God serves as inspiration for all of us. Let us adopt it in our lives, becoming benevolent members of society,” remarked Bishop Saldanha.
The holy mass saw the participation of Cordel church parish priest Fr Clifford Fernandes, assistant parish priest Fr Ivan Cordero, Fr Paul D’Souza, and 24 priests from various churches across the Mangalore Diocese. Following the religious ceremony, a fellowship meal was shared among the devotees, with approximately 5,000 individuals partaking in the celebration.
Deacon Norman Mathias, vice president of the Parish Pastoral Committee Ruth Castelino, and secretary Anil D’Sa were also present during the Founder’s Day commemoration at Holy Cross Church, Cordel.
Mangaluru, Sep 18: The post-centenary golden jubilee celebration of Cordel Church (Holy Cross church) of Kulshekar was held on Sunday September 17.
Bishop of Mangalore diocese Dr Peter Paul Saldanha offered the Mass. Chief priest of Mangaluru city zone Fr James D’Souza, parish priest of Cordel church Fr Clifford Fernandes, assistant priests Fr Ivan Cordario and Fr Paul D’Souza and other guest priests were present. Several religious brothers, sisters and devotees of Kulshekar and nearby churches were present.
Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha gave the homily and blessings of the cross. After the Mass, felicitation was held for 103 people including assistant priests and those who have become priests from this church.
Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha was felicitated on completing five years as the bishop of Mangalore diocese. The bishop congratulated the priests and religious brothers of Kulshekar church who rendered their relentless service. He also wished that the church become a holy shrine in coming days. Parish priest of the church Fr Clifford Fernandes thanked all those who made the celebration a grand success.
Vice president of church Ruth Castelino, secretary Anil D’Sa, coordinator of 21 commissions Dolphy D’Souza, media coordinator Eliyas Fernandes and others were present.
Richard Alvares compered the event. Fr Paul D’Souza rendered vote of thanks.
Mangaluru: Feast of Exaltation of Holy Cross celebrated at Cordel church
Mangaluru, Sep 15: On the occasion of completing 150 years of Holy Cross Church, Cordel, a Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by vicar general of Mangalore diocese Msgr Fr Maxim Noronha accompanied by Fr Clifford Fernandes (parish priest), Fr Ivan Cordeiro and Fr Paul D’Souza (assistant parish priest), with the parish pastoral council members, guest priests and sisters and the parishioners attending the Holy Mass in large numbers. Fr Maxim Noronha preached the Word of God and wished the faithful gathered many blessings of the Holy Cross.
The Holy Mass was followed by a felicitation programme for the founders, benefactors, past vice presidents and secretaries of the parish pastoral council and the gurkars. A total of 206 people were felicitated for their selfless service in the growth of Holy Cross Church, Cordel. Fr Maxim Noronha in his address thanked the people who have rendered their service and are continuing to do so. He wished the gathering many more blessings and said that may Holy Cross Church become a pilgrim centre for the people of Mangaluru and the surrounding areas. Fr Clifford Fernandes thanked everyone for making the day so special and the celebration so successful.
The programme was attended and inaugurated by Fr Maxim Noronha, vicar general of diocese of Mangalore, Fr Clifford Fernandes, parish priest, Fr Ivan Cordeiro and Fr Paul D’Souza, Ruth Castelino – vice president (parish pastoral council), Anil D’Sa – secretary (parish pastoral council), Dolphy D’Souza – co-ordinator (21 Commissions), and the founders, benefactors, past vice presidents and secretaries of the parish pastoral council and the gurkars. Ruth Castelino welcomed the gathering. Renita Aranha compered the programme and Anil D’Sa rendered the vote of thanks.
Mangaluru: Cordel parish to celebrate 150 yrs under patronage of Holy Cross
Mangaluru, Sep 12: In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Holy Cross Church in Cordel, the parish is set to mark this significant milestone with celebrations on September 14 and 17. The vicar general of the Mangalore Diocese, Fr Maxim Noronha, will lead a thanksgiving mass on September 14th, followed by a festive celebration on September 17th, during which the Bishop of Mangaluru, Fr Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, will conduct a thanksgiving service, as announced by Cordel Parish Priest Fr Clifford Fernandes.
Speaking during a press conference held on Tuesday,September 12, Fr Clifford Fernandes elaborated on the diverse range of programs organized for this occasion. Already, the parish has celebrated Youth Day, Couples Day, Teachers Day, and Health Workers Day. On September 14, the focus will shift to honoring all the heads, secretaries, ward heads, benefactors, and founders who have served the parish. Subsequently, on September 17, the celebration will pay tribute to all the priests and other religious individuals who have contributed to the parish over the years. Upcoming events include Senior Citizens Day, Disabled People’s Day, a Sports Festival, a Fancy Fete, Non-Resident Indian Day, and an All Religious Meet.
A historical journey: 150 years of Cordel parish
September 14, 1873, remains etched in history as the day when Cordel Parish, originally a part of Milagres Church, took its first step toward becoming an independent entity. The Parish Priest of Milagres Church at the time, Fr Alexander Dubois (popularly known as Frad Saib), laid the foundation stone for the Holy Cross Church in Cordel, naming the land “Cordel.” It has now been 150 years since this momentous event.
Frad Saib, the Immortal
Fr Alexander Dubois, who came to Mangalore from France, served at Milagres Church from 1865 to 1877. During his tenure, he extended his ministry to regions like Kulshekar, Bondel, Kelarai, Vamanjoor, Valencia, and Nagori, which fell under his jurisdiction. Walking barefoot to reach these areas, he not only served Christians but also worked for the welfare of all residents. Frad Saib learned Konkani and Tulu, offered healing prayers, and blessed crops for prosperity. His deep spiritual life earned him the reputation of a saint among those who witnessed his actions.
In 1904, Bishop Fr A Cavadini officially designated Kulshekar Church as an independent center on May 31st and appointed Fr M P Colaco as its first parish priest. The number of families in the area was 250 at the time. Fr M Lunanzhii of the Society of Jesus continued the church’s construction efforts, resulting in the magnificent Holy Cross Church at Kulshekar. After a formal inauguration and blessing on January 30, 1912, it opened its doors to devotees. As the number of families grew over time, Cordel Parish became the largest parish in terms of families and population among the 145 parishes in the undivided Mangalore diocese. To better serve the community, new churches were established, but as the 150th-anniversary celebration approaches, the number of families has risen once more, with 1824 families and 44 wards, totaling approximately 7000 parishioners.
Empowering the less fortunate
Since its inception, the parish has initiated numerous projects aimed at uplifting the underprivileged. Schemes such as the House Construction (Revolving Fund) Scheme, Education Fund, Health Fund, and Frad Saib Fund have provided assistance. Additionally, funding is sourced from various other channels. St. Vincent de Paul Sabha also actively contributes to the welfare of the needy, while housing assistance is extended to those less fortunate through the Frad Saib House Construction Committee and the ‘Prakas’ scheme.
Additional amenities
The parish boasts a range of facilities, including the fully equipped Cordel Hall, Cordel Open Auditorium, air-conditioned Frad Saib Hall, and the Church Mini Hall for meetings. A sprawling football field hosts numerous sports competitions, and the church publishes a magazine called “Cordelchem Zaith.”
In conjunction with these celebrations, the 150th-anniversary logo of Cordel Church Kulshekar was unveiled. Vice president Ruth Castelino, secretary Anil D’Sa, and coordinator of the Advertising Committee Laveena D’Mello, along with Elias Fernandes, were present at the event.
Mangaluru, Sep 6: ICYM Cordel unit conducted Fancy Dress and Group Singing Competitions for the Parishioners.
The competitions began at 2:30 pm by evoking God’s blessings through a prayer song. Ancilla Rodrigues welcomed the gathering. Parish priest Fr Clifford Fernandes along with assistant parish priests Fr Ivan Corderio and Fr Paul D’Souza were present.
The judges for the competition were Sr Lavita, Fr Johnson and Joshal. There were around 100 participants. Prizes and trophies were distributed to the winners of each category. Memento was given to the judges as a token of gratitude.
The programme was compered by Melvita Treza. Ethan D’Souza proposed a vote of thanks.
