The Closing of the Diocesan Inquiry of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the first Mangalorean Servant of God Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas held on 17 July 2019 at St Sebastian Church, Bendur, and Mangalore made a milestone mark in the history of the Diocese of Mangalore.The Closing Session was presided over by Most Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, the Bishop of Mangalore. It was preceded by a Thanksgiving Mass on Sunday, 14 July 2019 at 6.45 am at Sebastian Church, Bendur officiated by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop Emeritus of Mangalore Diocese. The solemn closing ceremony ignited in the hearts of people greater hope of having a Mangalorean saint in the person of Mgr Raymond F C Mascarenhas.
The programme began with a prayer service conducted by Rev Fr J B Saldanha, Parish Priest of St Sebastian Church, Permannur. Thereafter Most Rev Peter Paul Saldanha, the Bishop, Sr Rose Celine, Superior General and Rev Fr Vincent Monteiro, the Parish Priest offered tribute to the Servant of God by placing wreathes at the tomb of the Servant of God. Sr. Rose Celine, who is presently the petitioner of the Cause welcomed the gathering and requested Most Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha to preside over the Closing Session.
During his presidential address, His Lordship, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha portrayed the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas as a holy and committed priest of the Diocese of Mangalore. The Bishop highlighted the four main aspects of his priestly life namely: his commitment to the priestly vocation with great pastoral zeal, love for the Word of God and Eucharist, a new vision for the Church and the society, and his sacrificial love for the poor and neglected especially the girls. He brought home to the people that the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas is an inspiration for the people and exhorted the people to pray that the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas is declared as a model of sanctity for our inspiration and intercessor before God.
At the outset of the official programme, as per the procedure, Rev Fr Naveen Pinto, the Notary presented the documents to the Episcopal Delegate Rev Fr Henry Sequeira. Rev Fr John Mendonca, the Promoter of Justice, declared ‘no objection’ in transmitting the documents to the Holy See. Thereafter the officials connected with the responsibilities of the Board of Inquiry beginning with Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha took oath declaring that they have faithfully fulfilled their tasks.The others who took oath were: Rev Fr Henry Sequeira, the Episcopal Delegate, Rev Fr John Mendonca, the Promoter of Justice, Rev Fr Naveen Pinto, the Notary, Rev Fr Vincent Saldanha, the Vice Notary, Sr Kattakayam Lillis BS, the Postulator of the Cause, Sr Miriam BS, the Vice Postulator, Molly Sr Molly Sharon BS, the copyist, and Sr Hilarita BS, the Language Translator.
Rev Fr Henry Sequeira, the Episcopal Delegate authenticated the integrity of the documents and handed them over to the Bishop. The Notary read out the minutes of the entire procedure. The authenticated minutes were inserted into the three packages. Thereafter, the Bishop officially sealed the suitcases containing the three sets of documents. The Bishop then decreed the closing of the Diocesan Inquiry. Thereafter, the Bishop entrusted Rev Fr Victor George D’Souza, the Chancellor, the original set of documents namely the Archetype arranged in 15 packages to be placed in the archives of the Diocese of Mangalore. The other two sets known as the Transcript and the Public Copy arranged in 30 packages were entrusted with Sr Kattakayam Lillis BS, the officially appointed Carrier under oath. She was instructed to send the same to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Vatican City through the Nunciature in New Delhi for further study of the life and virtues of the Servant of God.
Thereafter, Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop Emeritus expressed his appreciation for the work done and invoked God’s blessings for the completion of the Roman Phase of the Cause. Bethany Sisters along with Bendur parishioners paid tribute to the Servant of God through a song.
The Postulator, Sr Kattakauyam Lillis BS proposing the vote of thanks acknowledged the services of all those who had laboured for the Cause in various capacities whereas Sr Rose Celine BS, the Superior General honoured Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha and Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza for their unique services at the opening and closing of the Diocesan Inquiry. Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha honoured the members of the Board of Inquiry, the Historical Commission Members, Theological Censor, the three Superiors General Sr Jyoti BS, Sr Wilberta BS, and Sr Rose Celine BS who played key roles as the petitioners of the Cause at different times. Rev Fr Vincent Monteiro the Parish Priest of Bendur and his predecessors Rev Fr Antony Shera and Rev Fr Peter Noronha too were thanked for their share in the whole process. Sr Lillis BS was appreciated for her eleven years of generous service as the Postulator.
A large number of priests, Bethany Sisters, Religious Sisters from other Congregations, Parishioners, the relatives of the Servant of God RFC Mascarenhas, and the faithful witnessed the Closing Session and prayed that the Servant of God may be raised to the honours of the Altar. Sr Dona Sanctis BS compered the programme.
It was in the year 2007 Sr Jyoti BS the Superior General of the Congregation through the officially appointed Postulator Sr Kattakayam Lillis BS presented the petition (Libellus) to the Bishop of Mangalore requesting to initiate the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Cause of Mgr Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas. The Diocesan Inquiry of the Cause was opened on August 17, 2008 by Most Rev Dr Aloysius P D’Souza, the Bishop of Mangalore. During the past eleven years the Board of Inquiry interviewed a hundred and one eye witnesses and hearsay witnesses.
The Historical Commission members viz. Rev Fr J B Saldanha (Convener), Sr Mariette BS, (Secretary) and Rev Fr Peter Mascarenhas MMS collected a large number of documents connected with the life of the Servant of God visiting 90 archives and libraries from all over India and Rome. All these materials are sent to Rome for further studies.
The Servant of God Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas was the former Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore and the Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany. His services as a dedicated priest and Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore as well as the Founder of Bethany Congregation and the Bethany Educational Society are truly meritorious. He was the founding parish priest and the builder of St Sebastian Church, Bendur wherein lie his Mortal Remains.
Place: Bethany Generalate, Bendur, Mangalore
Date: 17.07.2019
