THE BICENTENARY STEERING COMMITTEE

Dear Reader,

The Mangalorean Catholic community is celebrating this year the bicentennial of a milestone in their history - the liberation of their ancestors from a l5-year period of captivity at Seringapatam. The event is of utmost importance because our community, such as it is today, descends almost entirely from the small group of persons who survived the captivity and returned to Mangalore (about 15,000 as compared to the 60,000 taken captive). Despite the persecution, our forefathers kept their faith alive. When they were eventually released, the few that survived found their ancestral lands usurped and having to make an entirely new beginning. But their diligence and determination saw the community grow from strength to strength with each passing decade, and today its members have distinguished themselves in all walks of life, and spread all over the world.

We intend to culminate this bicentennial year with a major International Convention and we hope that illustrious sons of Mangalore, from all over the globe, will join us in making this convention a truly grand and memorable one. We, therefore, appeal to you to make a donation towards this worthy cause. Your donations, however small, will collectively add up to a substantial amount and will go a long way in making the convention a success.

An account has been opened at St Aloysius College with 80G facility (exemption from income tax for the donated amount). Please make your cheques / DD payable to - "Account No 12 - MJES, Central Bank,Aloysius College Counter, Mangalore".

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you in advance. We will lookforward to hearing from you - and even more to seeing you during the international convention at the end of December. Together, let us bring in the third millennium.

Rev. Fr Bernard D'Souza, President, Catholic Association of South Kanara

Rev. Fr Ralph da Costa S. J., Rector, St Aloysius College

Rev. Fr Prashant V. Madtha S. J., Principal Chairman - Finance Committee

Why the Bicentennial celebration?

• To be proud of the faith of our ancestors which we share and to be grateful to God and to them for their fidelity "in spite of dungeon, fire and sword."
• To become aware of and cherish our past and the achievements of our ancestors over the last 200 years in various fields.
• To associate better with one another to plan the future of our community as we launch into the third milleniurn.
• To plan some lasting memorial of this Bicentennial.

Events to come:

• The December 1999 (28th, 29th & 30th) Celebrations:
• Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration. (30th December)
• Symposium on Mangalore Catholics : Past Present and Future (3 morning sessions).
• Enacting of the drama "Sardarachi Signol".
• Cultural Fest of Mangalorean Songs, folklore etc.
• Honouring of distinqushed Mangaloreans (30th December).
• Exhibition of books on/by Mangalorean Catholics.
• Exhibition of Mangalore Catholic cultural items, traditional articles etc.
• Dinner with Mangalorean specialities (30th December).
• Release of new books.
• Since we expect many Mangaloreans from abroad to come home for these celebrations, and some of them might be interested to see Mangalore and its environs, plans will also be made for a tour of the city through a reputed Travel Agency for 31st December.
• These days of celebrations will also offer the possibility for meetings and rich exchanges between the local Catholics and those coming from outside Mangalore to establish friendly and other contacts.
• There is also a plan to write some articles on histroical topics and others, recalling the faith of our ancestors and have them published in various journals and newspapers. Sufficient care will be devoted to publicise these celebrations and its objectives in the secure press as well.
• A prayer to build up the faith of our Catholic families that could be recited daily in the families, will be composed and circulated.

Time is running out and the days are rapidly approaching, and we find ourselves handicapped in proceeding with the preparations till we have some guarantee of money in the box. As we cannot permit a deficit budget we will have to tailor the celebrations to the finances available.

You will agree that this is a worthwhile cause, so plan your holidays to he with us on these days. Hospitality and Travel Arrangements will be handled, at your request, by Mr. Walter D'Souza of the International Convention Committee.

For one and all, young and old, from India and abroad, this is a wonderful occasion to feel that you are one of a distinguished history making community. We hope to see you at these celebration, to hear from you before that, and keep in touch all along.

Fr Bernard D'Souza, President

Fr Ralph da Costa SJ. Co-ordinator

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Thought for the Day:" Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, Fon in the manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did they fathers to the false prophets." Holy Bible: Luke 6:20-26