URSULINE FRANCISCAN EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY – GOLDEN JUBILEE 1964 – 2014 Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society celebrated Golden Jubilee of the Registration of the Society on October 11, 2014.
With the grateful heart all the Sisters of the Ursuline Franciscan Congregation along with the Formees, Staff and the Students of the schools offered Thanksgiving Mass at St Francis Xavier Church Bejai, Mangalore.
Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore was the main celebrant and Most Rev Dr Francis Serrao SJ, Bishop of Shimoga broke the word of God and preached a meaningful homily on this beautiful occasion saying Ursuline Franciscan Sisters wherever they may be, whether in urban centers or rural hamlets through their teaching ministry insist on individual care and concern for each student.
There were other Priests too including Rev Fr Pius James D’Souza OCD, Episcopal Vicar for Religious Mangalore Diocese.
After the Thanksgiving Mass there was felicitation and cultural programme which was organized in St Xavier Church Hall, Bejai, Mangalore.
Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore was the president of the programme, Most Rev Dr Francis Serrao SJ, Bishop of Shimoga was the Chief guest, Shri U T Khadar, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, Rev Fr Bruno Chelangwa, Secretary General and Chancellor, Diocese of SAME, Tanzania, Africa, Rev Sr Edilburga Monteiro, Ex-President, Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society, Shri J R Lobo, MLA, Mangalore South, Shri Ivan D’Souza, Member: Karnataka Legislative Council, Mrs Philomena Lobo, KES, Director of Public Instruction, Secondary Education, Bangalore, Mr Walter D’Mello, KES, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Dakshina Kannada, Prof. Edmund Frank, Dean, PGDBM, St Aloysius College (Autonomous) were the Guests of Honour on the occasion.
Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore in his presidential address said, 'Convent schools teach values which are attached to life. This is the reason parents want to send their children to convent schools”.
He further said, 'Teaching is not merely a profession, but also a vocation and more than that it is a mission. The mission is to provide education to the poorest of the poor. This mission is carried out by the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters very well”.
Most Rev Dr Francis Serrao SJ, Bishop of Shimoga said, “To become a better person, he should get good education and good values and all these things our Sisters are providing from the past 50 and more years. Let the service of the Sisters ‘flow like water’ and let nothing stop you from giving your services to the society”.
Health and family welfare minister, U T Khadar praised the members of Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society for their continuous service. “If our society looks better, then it is the service by the Sisters and many other good people. If anybody loves his country, he should provide his service to the society. You cannot call it a social work if you just speak on the mike in front of people on the road and do not show the work in deed. No matter what, I will provide all the help whenever they need”.
Fr Bruno Chelangwa in his speech said, “We are really thankful for the work of the Sisters in SAME, Tanzania”. He also requested the Bishop of Mangalore to add few more priests for the mission in SAME, Tanzania.
MLA Shri J R Lobo thanked the Sisters for their service for the society. “God has given you the strength to provide education to the society. There are many people who have become successful persons in their life. Women are the strongest force of our lives. They play a very important role in bringing up the society. If they have become sisters today, then we have to thank their parents for letting go of their children for the service of society”.
MLC Shri Ivan D’Souza said, “The government’s duty is to educate the children and the Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society is doing the same. Sisters not only do their job but they also do the work of the government. There are only 2% of Christians in India but for the rest of the 98% of people, Christians do play important role in imparting education”.
Mrs Philomena Lobo, KES, Director of Public Instruction, Secondary Education, Bangalore, had no enough words to praise UFES as a student of Koppa for she has cherished the love, care & concern from her teachers and Sisters while she was in Primary & High School. The values she learnt have helped her to reach to this position today. She feels indebted to all her beloved Sisters and Teachers who sacrificed their comforts and happily served the children and people at large in remote places.
Shri Walter D’Mello, KES, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Dakshina Kannada, appreciated the UFES society and thanked Mother Severine, Sr Claudia and Sr Serena for giving him the opportunity to begin his carrier in the teaching field at St Joseph High School Hunsur. He was glad to mention the simplicity of life and life of discipline the Sisters live and the same that is instilled in the students and the staff.
Professor Edmund Frank, Dean of PGDBM, St Aloysius College, the Guest of Honour on the occasion valued the good done by the Sisters to Society and this event to be a memorable one he inaugurated ‘Shikshak Nidhi’ by handing over the cheque of Rs 5 lakhs and asked the Management always to see to the welfare of the staff of UFES. He boosted the Sisters by saying that we need to dream higher.
Teachers and Non-teaching staff who served the Schools under the Management of the Society for more than 40 years both from Higher Primary and High Schools and the Deputy Education Secretaries of UFES were honoured on the occasion.
Rev Sr Lily Fernandes, Secretary of the Ursuline Franciscan Educational Society proposed the vote of thanks.
