RFCM_Compassionate Pastor_Dec 2008

SERVANT OF GOD

RAYMOND FC MASCARENHAS

Former Vicar General, Diocese of Mangalore

Founder of the Congregation of

the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany

Born : 23 January 1875

Ordained : 04 March 1900

Died : 23 December 1960

Servant of God : 03 June 2008

Vol 1 December 2008 No 1

Published twice a year in July and December. No subscription.

Donations will be gratefully accepted to meet the expenses of

printing, mailing and the process of Canonization. Donations and

offerings may be sent to the address given below. Cheques/drafts

may be made in favour of: The Congregation of the Sisters of the

Little Flower of Bethany- Offering for the Cause. We invite yourexperiences for possible inclusion in this bulletin.

The Vice-PostulatorCause of the Servant of God Raymond MascarenhasBethany ConventKankanady PostMangalore - 575 002Karnataka, India

Managing Editor

The Compassionate PastorThe Compassionate PastorThe Compassionate PastorThe Compassionate PastorThe Compassionate Pastor

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Editorial Board

Managing EditorSr M Wilberta, BS

Chief EditorSr M Lillis, BS

MEMBERS

Rev Fr Joseph Martis

Mr Ivan Saldanha

Sr Miriam, BS

Sr M Theresine, BS

Sr M Lilitta, BS

Sr M Rose Celine, BS

Sr M Celine Vas, BS

Sr Mary Noulak, BS

Sr M Jessy Rita, BS

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Contents

1. Foreword 5

2. Message 6

3. Editorial 7

4. Biographical Sketch of the Servant of GodMsgr Raymond F C Mascarenhas - Sr Lillis, BS 9

5. A Caring Pastor: Compassion at the Core- Sr Mariette, BS 19

6. Msgr RFC Mascarenhas – A Remembrance - James D’Souza 27

7. Mission of Fr Raymond Mascarenhas– Sr Violette, BS 30

8. Last Will and Testament ofMsgr Raymond F C Mascarenhas 33

9. Favours Received 35

10. Miraculous Healings 39

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Bethany GeneralateKankanady PostMangalore 575 002

8 December 2008

FOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORD

“My soul magnifies the Lord” (Lk 1:46).

It is with immense joy and gratitude to God and to Holy Motherthe Church that we celebrate the 48th anniversary of the death of ourbeloved Founder, the Servant of God Raymond Francis CamillusMascarenhas. The Church has graciously recognised him this year asthe ‘Servant of God.’ It is but fitting and proper that we rejoice on thisoccasion and thank the Lord for the gift of his person to the Church andthe society, especially in Mangalore.

His pastoral and humanitarian service has brought joy andcomfort to many. The compassionate love of God has been reflected inhis life in various ways bringing solace to the down trodden, themarginalized women and girl children in particular. He has thus soughtto transform the society and make the reign of God alive in the worldaround. His vision, inspiration and mission bequeathed to us his daughterscontinues to grow in a worthy manner in India and abroad.

I am glad that the first issue of the bulletin The CompassionatePastor will see the light of day on the 48th anniversary of his death. Iam happy to present it to the sisters of the Congregation and the peopleof God and pray that this and the subsequent issues may be the instrumentto promote the glory of God, through His servant Raymond. May allthose who read these pages be drawn to emulate the virtues that shonein him and more specially his compassionate love.

(Sr M Jyoti, BS)Superior General

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DIOCESE OF MANGALORE

Most Rev Aloysius Paul D’ SouzaBishop of Mangalore

Bishop’s HouseKodialbail, Mangalore - 575 003DK, IndiaDated 14 November 2008

MESSAGE

I send you greetings on the occasion of the 48th death anniversaryof Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas, the Founder of the Congregationof the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany. His memory is afreshin us though he went to his eternal abode in the year 1960. He isremembered for his pastoral zeal and commitment.

Msgr Mascarenhas was an educationalist of his time and visualizededucation as a means to give life and transform the ignorant,especially the poor and the girls. I am sure that, that was one of thereasons to start a new Congregation of Bethany Sisters many yearsago in order to prepare a team of women who would prepare theground for the transformation of the society. His dream has beenkept alive by the Bethany Congregation and we are proud of himand his sisters.

Msgr Mascarenhas was an exemplary pastor. People still rememberhim being punctual to his spiritual duties, especially the liturgy ofhours, celebration of the Eucharist and the praying of the Rosary.He was an eloquent preacher and was always available to peopleespecially the poor. It is precisely for this reason that his Cause forBeatification and Canonization is initiated and the process is on.

I am glad that you have rightly decided to bring out the firstissue of the bulletin The Compassionate Pastor highlighting the goodworks of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas on the occasion of his 48th

death anniversary. I wish you all well.

Telephone: 2440524 (4 lines)Fax: 91-0824-2444035E-mail : [email protected]

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Msgr Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas

is the first Mangalorean Servant of God. He was

also the first one to be a Servant of God from the

soil of the state of Karnataka. This fact is

spotlighted because while on earth the Servant

of God Raymond Mascarenhas had expressed

his desire to have saints from Mangalore and had prayed for this.

It is clear from a statement that he had made in June 1934 while

narrating his pilgrimage to Lourdes, Rome and to the shrine of St

John Bosco and St Benedict Joseph Cottolingo in Turin, along

with the Holy Year Pilgrims. He said, “May God vouchsafe some

saints in our midst too! For one Saint, as Father Faber says, gives

more glory to God than a million ordinary souls.”

Indeed the witnessing life of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,

the compassionate pastor gave glory to God while he was alive. At

present the fragrance of his holy life inspires numerous people to

emulate his holy life of love and service.

The Servant of God Raymond Camillus Mascarenhas was

an embodiment of the compassionate love of Jesus. Propelled by

compassion he preached the Good News by immersing himself in

the lives of the suffering people and engaging in creative ministries

which brought them liberation from various oppressive shackles

especially illiteracy and poverty. The pastoral, educational, social

and medical ministries that the Servant of God initiated in the areas

wherein he served brought new life to the people.

The bulletin The Compassionate Pastor unfolds the various

facets of the life of Msgr Raymond Camillus Mascarenhas a former

EDITORIAL

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vicar general of the diocese of Mangalore and the founder of the

Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany,

Mangalore. The Servant of God was an exemplary twentieth century

priest who was obsessed with the evangelical idea of preaching the

Good News to the poor. The modern world looks for role models.

The life of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas has a message

for all categories of people especially to those who desire to share

the compassionate love of Jesus with the people in a tangible

manner. The numerous favours that are recorded in this bulletin

endorse the growing reputation of sanctity of the Servant of God.

I am grateful to Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the

Bishop of Mangalore for his blessing and message, to Sr Jyoti, our

Superior General for the encouragement and assistance to start the

bulletin. Sr Wilberta, the Managing Editor and all the members of

the editorial board are delighted to offer you this bulletin on the

occasion of the 48th death anniversary of the Servant of God

Raymond. May St Alphonsa the newly canonized saint of India

intercede that the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas receives

the honours of the altar for the greater glory of Mother the Church.

Sr M Lillis BSPostulatorBethany Provincial HouseChevayur, CalicutKerala 673 017

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Background

Mangalore, a city in South Kanara District of Karnataka State,India, is situated on a coastal strip between the towering WesternGhats and the azure Arabian Sea. Various powers have fought forcontrol over Mangalore. In 1520, the Portuguese took control ofthe area from Vijayanagara rulers. Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysoreconquered Mangalore in 1763, and it was under his administrationuntil 1768, before being annexed by the British between 1768 and1784. In 1784 Tippu Sultan again took control of the area, but itwas re-conquered by the British upon the fall of Srirangapatna in1799. It was a part of the Madras Presidency until India gained itsindependence. In 1956 Mangalore was merged into a unifiedKarnataka State.

The period from 1784 to 1799 forms a sad page in the historyof the Christians of South Kanara. In 1784, Tippu Sultan invadedMangalore and began his persecution of the Christians. The Christianswere taken captive to Srirangapatna. Those who returned to theiroriginal villages found it difficult to get back their old possessions.1

Since the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Mangaloreecclesiastical area, a part of the Kanara mission which became aVicariate Apostolic in 1845 and a diocese in 1887, passed severaltimes successively under the jurisdiction of Goa, Verapoly andPondicherry. In 1879, the Kanara mission was entrusted by the HolySee to the care of the Jesuit Province of Venice. With the officialproclamation of the establishment of the Indian Hierarchy, in theCouncil of the Bishops of Southern India at Bangalore on 25 January1887, Mangalore took its place in the Indian Hierarchy as theDiocese of Mangalore2.

1 Cf. D’ Souza , ALP, History of the Catholic Community of South Kanara, pp. 19 – 502 Cf. Catholic Directory of India, 2005-06 p. 915

Biographical Sketch of theServant of God

Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas

Sr M Lillis, BS

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Family, Birth and Education of Servant of God Raymond (1875 – 1890)3

Raymond it is seen, hails from a devout Catholic family ofMangalore that had stood for the faith even in the face of persecutionand death under Tippu Sultan. His roots can be traced to one of theseveral Christian families that emigrated from Goa to Mangalore inthe 18 Century. Lazarus Mascarenhas and Joanna Castelino hadthirteen children and Raymond was the seventh child of the family,born on 23 January 1875, on a Saturday at 12.30 pm at Shimoga, inKarnataka, where his father was working at the municipalcommissioner’s office. He was baptized on the 27th of the samemonth in Sacred Heart Church, Shimoga and was named RaymondCamillus. Lazarus and Joanna, his parents were known for theirpiety and fidelity to the Christian faith. The sufferings and death oftheir ancestors under Tippu’s persecution and captivity atSrirangapatnam stood them in good stead to strengthen them intheir faith and in the practice of virtues. This in turn had gone along way in the training of their children.4

Raymond’s parents Lazarus and Joanna belonged toMangalore. After the retirement from government service inShimoga, Lazarus returned to Mangalore with his wife and children.Raymond had his early education in Milagres Church School,Mangalore and received his first communion in Milagres Church in1885. He passed his matriculation brilliantly with a first class fromSt Aloysius College, Mangalore.

From Msgr Raymond’s family there were many vocations forthe priesthood and religious life. During his life time he had the joyof seeing his cousins, nieces, grand nieces, great grand nieces-32of them being religious sisters in various Congregations, andnephews, cousins and great grand nephew - 6 of them becomingpriests. Msgr Raymond is the great grand uncle of Fr Cedric Prakash,SJ of Gujarat Jesuit Province, and grand uncle of Miss Olinda Pereirawho have all the admiration for their grand uncle. His two nephewsFr Stanley Mascarenhas and Fr Charles Mascarenhas had joined StJoseph’s Seminary, Allahabad about whom Msgr Raymond mentionsin his letters to the sisters. They rendered their valuable and selflessservices to the Diocese of Allahabad5.

3 Cf. Mascarenhas, FX, GBVC4 Cf. Ibid5 Cf. Ibid

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Priestly Vocation6 (1891-1914)

Inspite of every pressure to continue his studies, Raymondentered St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore on 23 February 1891 atthe age of 16.

As a seminarian, he was pious and faithful and diligent in thepractice of virtues and in the observance of the rules and regulationsof the seminary life. He was ordained a priest for the diocese ofMangalore on 4 March 1900. As a young priest he worked as anassistant at Milagres, Mangalore, and at Mount Rosary at Kallianpur.He had made a mark as a great preacher and an able administratorin the early days. His reflections and wisdom won him the admirationof all those who came in contact with him.

In 1903, Fr Raymond was appointed the parish priest ofUdyavar where he built a monumental church edifice. He broughtthe compassionate love of Jesus to the poor and the needy using allhis talents of mind and heart together with intense prayer andpenance. Money was scarce in those days and the parishioners werevery poor. Fr. Raymond trusted in the Divine Providence and hecompleted the work overcoming all the obstacles meeting theexpenses through loans. Later on he paid off these loans on hisown even after he was transferred. He carried on all his priestlyministries with great sacrifice relying on divine help. His nextappointment was to Agrar parish and in this difficult and vast parishhe laboured selflessly. He was a true shepherd to his flock. Thefollowing testimony of Fr John Cornelio, the assistant parish priestof Derebail Church in 1950 confirms this fact. “The good examplehe set by his own priestly life, the vigilant eye he kept and thetimely advice he gave to many young men must have, no doubt,brought many vocations to the priesthood among the men of theparish in which he was working .”7

In 1914, at the request of the people SD8 Raymond was appointedthe first parish priest of St Sebastian Church, Bendur, then anunderdeveloped area outside of Mangalore town. For 17 years heworked hard to build up this parish in his own unique way. Realizingthat Catholic education, mainly for the poor, was an essential part

6 Cf. D’ Souza, Violette, Unless the Seed Die, 1985 pp. 15-267 The Twin Jubilee Souvenir, 1950, p. 228 SD (Servus Dei in Latin) means Servant of God

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of pastoral ministry, he set up in the parish St Sebastian School andSt Margaret Mary School at Bendur and St Joseph’s School atKankanady.

Founding of an Indigenous Congregation (1921)

SD Raymond was deeply pained to see the distress of manyyoung women who had genuine vocation to religious life but couldnot get entry into the then existing Congregations because of therequirement of higher education and exorbitant patrimony9. Hewas ready to spend his life for the poor and the neglected, so dearto the heart of our Lord. The Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany(commonly known as Bethany Sisters), an indigenous Congregationfor women, founded by him on 16 July 1921, on the Feast of OurLady of Mount Carmel, in the Diocese of Mangalore was an answerto this need.

With the encouragement from the then bishop, Rt Rev PaulPerini, SJ he modestly began the Institute with just four lady teachersof the Bendur Parish namely, Sr M Martha ( Marceline Menezes), SrM Clare (Flora Mathias), Sr M Lourdes (Alice Mathias), and Sr MGertrude (Regina Gertrude Gonsalves), and it witnessed a steadygrowth. This work could be considered as the ‘Magnum Opus’ -the crowning glory of Msgr Raymond’s accomplishments. Itanswered triple needs of that period, ie, providing Catholic educationfor the poor, especially the girls, presenting an opportunity for thegirls who had genuine vocation to consecrate their lives to God asreligious, irrespective of their status in society and to supply good,dedicated and qualified permanent teachers to teach in the schoolsand to impart Christian doctrine in schools and parishes in the ruralareas.

As Vicar General of the Diocese (1931-1941)

On 1 August 1931, Bishop Victor Fernandes appointed SDRaymond, vicar general of Mangalore10. In the midst of all thesedirect works of the sacred ministry Msgr Raymond found time todevote himself to serving God’s people in many other capacities,

9 Cf. Mascarenhas, RFC, The First Report on Bethany submitted to Rt Rev. Dr.Paul Perini, SJ, the Bishop of Calicut and the Administrator Apostolic ofMangalore Diocese, on the Feast of St Joseph, 1925, p.210 Cf. Fernandes, VR, Bishop of Mangalore, Appointment Letter dated 1 August1931

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ie, he was the President of Roman Catholic Pioneer Fund,11 theMunicipal Councillor,12 the Officialis of the Diocese,13 the FoundingVice-president of the Catholic Board of Education (1932-1941),consultant to the bishop, the President of the Catholic Associationof South Kanara(1931-1941), and such other associations andinstitutions for the benefit of the Catholic community. After hisretirement from the vicar general’s office in 1941, SD Raymonddevoted full attention to the growth of the Congregation he hadfounded.

More Zealous for the Kingdom (1941-1955)

Though retired in name, he totally dedicated himself to directthe Bethany Congregation to venture into new mission territories inthe dioceses of Goa, Belgaum, Calicut and Mysore. In all theseareas Bethany Sisters involved themselves in pastoral, social andeducational activities. Great emphasis was laid on the education ofpoor girls. It was during this period (1948) that the BethanyEducational Society was formed and registered. SD Raymondbecame a life member of the society. He was also the founder andthe president of Madeleine Educational Society that he establishedin 1948.

Obsessed with zeal for the spread of the Kingdom, in 1949for the first time in the history of the diocese SD Raymond translatedthe four Gospels and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Maryinto Konkani. It was his 75th birthday and sacerdotal golden jubileegift to Holy Mother the Church. On this occasion, his eminenceCardinal Fumasoni Biondi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation dePropaganda Fide, sent a letter of felicitation to Msgr Raymond dated7 January 1950 appreciating his commendable contribution toMother the Church. Various ecclesiastical authorities alsocongratulated SD Raymond for his praiseworthy contribution to theChurch.

In 1952 Msgr Raymond completed and published thetranslation of the whole New Testament into Konkani. By 1954 hehad finished the translation of five books of the Old Testament. All

11 Fernandes, VR, Bishop of Mangalore, Appointment Letter dated 25 October193112 D’ Souza, Violette, Unless the Seed Die, 1985, p. 4613 Fernandes, VR, Bishop of Mangalore, Appointment Letter dated 25 October1931

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these activities reveal the ardent desire of SD Raymond to preachthe word of God to the simple and the poor.

Domestic Prelate (1955)

Recognizing the commendable pastoral, educational and socialactivities of SD Raymond and his inspiring life, Rt Rev Dr BasilPeres, the then Bishop of Mangalore recommended him to the HolySee for the honour of ‘Domestic Prelate.’ Pope Pius XII presented apublic token of his benevolence towards SD Raymond in June 1955,for his outstanding service to the Church by conferring on him thehonour of ‘Domestic Prelate.’

Voyage to the Eternal Home (1960)

After this moment of glory SD Raymond had to pass through aperiod of intense suffering, trials and misunderstandings fromvarious quarters. He faced the trials in great faith, joining in thesufferings of Jesus and Mother Mary. On the occasion of hisanticipated diamond jubilee celebration on 29 February 1960 SDRaymond was struck by partial paralysis. In spite of it he waspeaceful and serene and remained close to Jesus and Blessed Motherthrough repeated fervent ejaculatory prayers. SD Raymond left forHis eternal home peacefully on 23 December 1960 and was buriedbefore the high altar at St Sebastian Church, Bendur, Mangalore.

Reputation of Sanctity (1960)

As the news of Msgr Raymond’s passing away spread throughthe city, the most heard exclamation: “He was a holy priest!” RtRev Raymond D’Mello, the then Bishop of Mangalore said, “MsgrMascarenhas was a great priest who has done great things for God.May the Lord grant him eternal rest.”14 Sr Noreen who was presentat the funeral of Msgr Raymond reported of an instant cure fromfever after she participated in the funeral service. As the years rolledby, many sisters and people began to recount the temporal andspiritual favours received by them through the intercession of MsgrRaymond.

Vocations to Bethany Institute increased threefold. Within a decadeof SD Raymond’s death, the Institute founded by him spread allover India and also to Europe. In 1971 on the occasion of its Golden

14 Cf. Raknno, the Konkani Weekly of Mangalore Diocese, p. 3, 4 January 196114

Jubilee, the Congregation was declared of Pontifical Rite by a Decreeof Praise from Propaganda Fide, Rome.

Personality of Servant of God Raymond

Anchored in Spirituality

SD Raymond is known to be a zealous and holy priest of God. Themost striking factor about SD Raymond was his radiant spirituality,which was deep-rooted in faith, hope and charity. Prayer was thebreath of his life. He was found praying for long hours before theBlessed Sacrament. A life of reflection, silence, simplicity, asceticism,and great zeal for souls were special traits of his personality. Annualretreats to him were occasions of re-dedication and renewal.15

He was consistent, constant and active in the heroic practice ofvirtues, especially obedience, charity, humility, justice, and fortitude.All his apostolic activities exemplify his virtuous life. His constantunion with the Incarnate Word illuminated the faith in Him and hepursued the will of God in all things. The poor had a special placein his life and he gave generously to the poor sacrificing his ownneeds.

A Devotee of Mother Mary

The Servant of God had a great devotion to our BlessedMother Mary. During his free time and while travelling, he wouldalways pray the Rosary. On 16 July 1946, on the occasion of theSilver Jubilee of the Bethany’s Foundation, Msgr Raymond solemnlyconsecrated the entire Congregation to the Immaculate Heart of Maryand expressed a desire that sisters renew this consecration everyyear on the same day. He taught the sisters to invoke her as the‘Queen Mother of Bethany’ and to adopt ‘Ecce Ancilla Domini’(Behold the Handmaid of the Lord) of the Annunciation as theirmotto and ideal.

The deep love that SD Raymond had for Our Lady of Lourdesis displayed in his writings: “Our Lady of Lourdes who on theAnnunciation Day, 25 March manifested herself as being ‘TheImmaculate Conception’ and whose last farewell visit to Bernadetteoccurred on the day on which the first four sisters had the happinessto enter together their new life viz, the feast of Our Lady of MtCarmel, 16 July, will be the object of special love and veneration in

15 Cf. Mascarenhas, RFC, Souvenir of Retreat, pp.1-415

the Congregation.”16 The sorrows of Mary as commemorated in thehymn Stabat Mater were a frequent subject of his meditation. Hehad instilled in the sisters a special devotion to Our Lady of Dolourswhich they expressed by praying the rosary of the Seven Sorrows,and the stations of the Seven Sorrows. He erected the Pieta andstations of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady in the MotherhouseChapel.17 He was noted for a childlike devotion to Our Lady ofFatima. His special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima was evidentwhen the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was brought to the Bethanymotherhouse chapel on 21 December 194818.Eucharist-Centred Life

Msgr Raymond’s personalised love for Lord Jesus wasmanifested in his devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the fervourand zeal at the Eucharistic celebration as well as devotion to theBlessed Sacrament. He was at his best when there was anyopportunity to give public honour to our Lord in the BlessedSacrament. His starting of perpetual adoration19 on 28 October 1935,in the newly founded Congregation speaks of his great faith andtrust in Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Unfortunately the nightadoration had to be discontinued six years later on 20 December1942 due to sickness and death of the sisters. Once again the dayadoration from 8 am to 10 pm was re-introduced on 16 July 1994in Bethany Motherhouse and in the provinces for half day. In 1996,during the Platinum Jubilee year of the Institute, ‘round the clockadoration’ by the participation of every community of theCongregation was introduced.

During the last years of his life when he was confined to hisroom, he constantly begged to be carried to the chapel, and to behelped to sit before the Blessed Sacrament. In the sunset days ofhis earthly life, he prayed incessantly his favourite ejaculatory prayersto the Holy Eucharist and His Blessed Mother.

A Renowned Preacher

Gifted with a sharp memory and eloquence of speech, SDRaymond could speak on any topic of interest and expatiate on it atlength with clarity of thought and precision. He was a dynamic16 Cf. Memoranda of the Congregation of “The Handmaids of the Lord.” p. 2,17 Cf. Mascarenhas, RFC, Circular, 1952,18 Diary (Log) of the Congregation 1921 -1953 entry on 21 Dec. 194819 Cf. Ibid. entry on 28 October 1935

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preacher in English and Konkani. He preached retreats to the priests,religious and the lay people.

One sentence from the Bible was sufficient for reflection, andwords of affection and devotion would naturally flow from him tostir the hearts of those who heard him. The homily that he preachedat the First Diocesan Eucharistic Congress in the diocese ofMangalore on 29 December 1938 had left such an impact on thehearers that people even today quote from it.

Apostle of the Print Media

SD Raymond wanted to share his devotion to Jesus and the BlessedMother through his writings. The renowned diocesan weekly, Raknnoin the issue of January 1961 eulogized SD Raymond as ‘The Apostleof the Print Media’. He unceasingly worked for God’s glory andthe salvation of souls through his writings. When the advancingyears restricted the apostolic activities of the Servant of God heworked more with his pen. The most outstanding work of MsgrRaymond was the translation of The Four Gospels20 in 1949 andThe New Testament21 in 1952 into Konkani, the language of themajority of the Catholics of South Kanara. It was for the first time,the Gospels and the New Testament were translated into Konkani380 years22 after the advent of Christianity into Kanara. The Wordof God reached the homes of the ordinary Christians. The Konkanitranslations enabled local people to meaningfully participate inworship and increased their desire to pray. That was an expressionof his great zeal to make Jesus known to the people. The Holy Seelauded his great achievement of the translation.

Beginning of the Process of Canonization:

Ever since the death of the Servant of God Raymond on 23December 1960, the members of the Congregation and the peoplebegan to experience the power of his intercession. On 16 July 1996,on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of the Congregation theFounder’s cottage was set up as Msgr Raymond Memorial and was

20 Mascarenhas, RFC, Novo Testament- Havn Waat Sath Jeevith-Char EvangelPoilo Vanto (The Four Gospels) 194921 Mascarenhas, RFC, Amcha Somi Jesu Christacho Novo Testament - DhodtyaShatamanic Utsavache Voras (The New Testament), 195222 Cf. D’ Souza, ALP, pp 19-20

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inaugurated and blessed by His Eminence Simon CardinalLourdusamy. Gradually this cottage has turned out to be a place ofprayer and pilgrimage.

The delegates of the thirteenth General Chapter who met atBethany Convent, Mangalore in 1998 deliberated to request theBishop of the Diocese of Mangalore to initiate the Cause ofBeatification of the Founder, Msgr Raymond FC Mascarenhas.Communicating the desire of the delegates of the Chapter to theBishop, Sr Jyoti, BS, the superior general set up a preparatorycommittee in 2001 under the leadership of Sr Lillis, BS, to reset thedocuments in the archives of Bethany Generalate and to set up aspiritual and cultural centre. Subsequently Sr Jyoti appointed herthe postulator and Sr Miriam, the Vice Postulator for the Cause ofthe Beatification and Canonization of Msgr Raymond FCMascarenhas. Having followed the norms laid down by the Churchfor the Cause, the Bishop of Mangalore Most Rev Aloysius Paul D’Souza, announced through a pastoral letter to the clergy and thefaithful of the Diocese of Mangalore on 3 June 2008 that MsgrRaymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas as the Servant of God.The same was proclaimed during the Eucharistic celebration on 16June, 2008.

May the Lord grant to His servant, the honours of the altarfor the greater glory of God and for the spread of His Kingdom.

ffffff

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The Greek word poimeinos used a single time in the New Testamentin Ephesians (cf. 4:11) is translated as “pastor.” Pastors areshepherds. The shepherds are leaders chosen by God to lead andguide, to pasture and nurture, to shield and protect those under theircare. The Scripture sketches in great detail the characteristics of ashepherd. The most famous description of a shepherd and perhapsone of the most well known passages in the Bible is Psalm 23. ThePsalmist says that the shepherd provides green pasture to his sheepand leads them to clean waters. Prophet Isaiah speaks of Yahweh asthe shepherd who will feed his flock, gather the lambs, carry themin his bosom and gently lead them home (cf. Is 40:11). ProphetEzekiel also speaks of Yahweh as the shepherd who will feed hissheep, seek the lost, bring back the strayed, bind-up the injured andstrengthen the weak (cf. Ez 34: 14-16).

In Jesus’ description of himself in the gospel of John(cf. Jn 10:1-18), he explains about the traits of a good shepherd. Heelaborates what a good shepherd does in order to ensure the safetyand security of the sheep under his care. Over and over in the passagehe states that the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep(vv. 11, 15, 17, 18). It indicates that the good shepherd possesses asacrificial nature. The sacrificial nature is because of the inherentlove of the shepherd toward his sheep, is because of thecompassionate love of the shepherd toward the weak and the weary,the susceptible and the vulnerable and the helpless and the harassed,is because of the tender affection of the shepherd toward those inany kind of danger, is because of the passionate desire of theshepherd to be in solidarity with the disadvantaged and theunderprivileged and is because of the tender care of the shepherdtowards those deprived of the good pasture and clean water.

A Caring Pastor: Compassion at the Core

Sr Mariette BS

Introduction

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1. Msgr Raymond, a Caring Shepherd

Msgr Raymond was truly a caring shepherd after theexample of Jesus, the good shepherd. He was a pastor with adifference. Owing to his great capacity and shepherding character,within a short period of three years of his priestly ordination, hewas appointed as the parish priest at Udyavar, a parish economicallyinsufficient and far away from the glamour of the city. Assignmentto such poverty stricken place did not discourage him; instead, itre-doubled his pastoral zeal. The houses of his parishioners werelocated far off from the church: most of them were farmers andtheir lands would get flooded in rainy season leaving hardly anythingfor their sustenance. As a caring pastor, Msgr Raymond would visitthem very specially when they were hit by natural calamities. Despitethe heavy rains, he would walk several miles through the slushypaddy fields and bring comfort and solace to the disheartened andthe disappointed. The kind hearted visit of their pastor during theirmisfortune days gave them an experience of a compassionate andcaring God. What made him a caring pastor was his prayer becausecompassion is learnt in prayer; true prayer makes one trulycompassionate.

1.1 Prayer at the heart of Msgr Raymond

While serving the flock entrusted to his care at Udyavar(1903-1910), his flock did not fail to notice in him Godly qualities.They found in him a praying pastor, a caring pastor, a serving pastor,a sacrificing pastor, a simple pastor, personally poor and who livedfor the poor. Through their personal contacts and interactions withhim, they discovered the secret of his efficacious priestly life – hisintimate moments with God. They saw him getting absorbed inpersonal prayer and realized that the silent moments that he spentwith the Divine sustained him in his agonizing and tryingcircumstances. They also witnessed his rapt attention at theEucharistic celebration, during which it looked as if no one andnothing else existed outside. Mr Alex Pais, the advocate of the HighCourt of Bombay who saw Msgr Raymond for the first time atUdyavar described his experience thus:

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1 Cf M Violette, Unless the Seed Die, pp.18-19.2 St John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, p. 374.3 VJP Saldanha, “An Interview with Mr VJP Saldanha,” p. 40 Celine Vas,a Bethany Sister interviewed Mr VJP Saldanha on the occasion of the PlatinumJubilee of Bethany Congregation in 1996.

...While visiting Udyavar one Sunday morning I went for Massthere. Father Mascarenhas, the celebrant at the altar wasoffering his Mass with such unction, such deliberateness andsuch absorption, that the picture is still before me. No otherpriest at an altar service had ever produced such animpression on me... He had no money, his people were poor.No one knew how he would secure the funds required for allhis works. It was said that he was seen every evening at thesite of the new Church, kneeling and at prayer with his handsraised. His income was small, and he could not count ondonations from the Diocesan funds…He knew it was God’swork and he trusted God to provide the means for it…1

Those who trust God open themselves to him; through theiropenness they manifest their willingness to be led by him. To be ledby God is to be ready for risks. How do we know that one is led byGod and not by one’s own hidden aspirations? What are the criteriaby which one could say that one is enlightened by the Divine andnot by one’s own wounded intellect and will? Scripture providesthe answer, “You will know them by their fruits” (Mt 7:20). God-centredness is a special characteristic of persons led by the Spirit.The indwelling Spirit leads them to the Father and in turn they findmore delight in God than in anything else. They are spirituallyadvanced persons. According to St. John of the Cross, the spirituallyadvanced person looks “for his Beloved in all things. In all histhoughts, he turns immediately to the Beloved; when eating,sleeping, keeping vigil or doing anything else, he centres all hiscare on the Beloved.”2 This was true of Msgr Raymond for whomGod was at the centre of his life. He was a man of God, a man withdeep divine experience. He was habituated to go to God ineverything. “The very appearance of Monsignor was God-inspiring…He was a man of prayer and a source of inspiration toothers.”3

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1.2 Shepherding Care as the Priority of Msgr Raymond

Msgr Raymond was transferred to Bendur in the fourteenth year ofhis priestly life. This place was devoid of life, that, in fact, is whatthe name signifies in Tulu, the local language, (Benda = barren +ooru = village).4 The parish had its own challenges owing to thefact that it was newly carved out. In the previous places where heserved, he was building up what was begun by his predecessors butin this parish, he had to begin from scratch. It demanded from himunshakable faith, undaunted courage, and capacity for endurance.It required from him ardent zeal and unfailing hope to vivify thelifeless situation. Trusting in the Divine Providence and the maternalassistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he launched into his missionat Bendur on 23 August 1914.

While he was at Bendur, he perceived keenly the reality ofSouth Canara in the early 20th century. He assessed the despair ofthe poor and in particular, the plight of the illiterate women invillages. His caring heart for the poor and particularly for womenled him to question the assumptions of the society that hadcondemned the half of the humanity to the margins without payingattention to their basic needs and aspirations. His heart was restlessuntil he stopped the breaking of the bruised reed, prevented thequenching of the dimly burning wick and averted the crushing ofthe weak and the faint hearted (cf. Is 42: 3-4). His heart was onedges until he sought concrete ways to wipe away the misery of theharassed and the helpless. Not only was he pained by the plight ofwomen, but also by the plight of Catholic schools which wererunning short of Catholic teachers to impart Catholic doctrine.

Msgr Raymond being alert to the alarming situations got down toconcrete action, trusting in the Divine Providence. He sensed thatthe immediate need was to provide educational facilities for thepoor, particularly for women in villages which would lift them from

Mr Saldanha was a literary stalwart; he had a distinguished career as awriter, speaker, dramatist and poet. He was a parishioner of Bendur whereMgr. Raymond was the parish priest for 17 years.

4 Bishop Paul Perini SJ constituted this parish on 23 August 1914 anddedicated it to St Sebastian, Martyr. Raymond Mascarenhas was appointed asits first parish priest. The territory under this parish was originally shared byRosario Cathedral and Milagres parishes. Cf Directory of the Diocese ofMangalore (1925), p. 34.

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their depressive situation and give them hope for a better living. Healso envisaged recruiting Catholic teachers in Catholic schools. Untothis effect, he founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the LittleFlower of Bethany and opened many schools in villages. By doingthis, he not only enhanced the destiny of the economically backwardwomen but also provided opportunities for them to embrace religiouslife, who otherwise would not have been able to do it due to thelack of higher education and money.

2. Compassion: Hallmark of Msgr Raymond

As said above, Msgr Raymond was truly a shepherd to hisflock. What was central to his pastoral care was compassion. Hehad allowed himself to be moulded by the God of compassion;consequently, he had become a caring pastor. As part of his caringministry, he took to God in prayer not only the spiritual needs of hisparishioners but also everything that affected them. Nonetheless,he was cautious not to reduce himself to be a bread provider andthus to undermine his mission as the anointed of God. As an anointedone, he was in solidarity with the plight of his flock. He was verysympathetic and kind-hearted when it was a question of the poor.5

The plight of the poor and of women in particular affected him themost.6 He took their hopes and aspirations, struggles and pains,joys and sorrows as part and parcel of his priestly vocation. “Hisheart would feel the pain of fatherless children, widow/widower,sick, weak etc. He had special love for parentless children.Downtrodden and poor had a place in his heart.”7

2.1 Components of Compassion

Compassion is derived from the Latin words pati and cum,which together mean “to suffer with.” It is not a question ofunderstanding other’s suffering but the feeling of it in one’s life.Again, it is not simply a feeling; it is primarily a capacity to enterinto the other’s pain which leads to solidarity with the other. Thissort of solidarity is linked to kenosis, to self-emptying, to letting go.Such attitude moves a person beyond the confines of self-centredness, taking the person to the realm of concrete action.8

5 Cf M Raymond (Sr), Interview, 30.04.2005.6 Cf Cecilia (Miss), Interview, 10.06.2005.7 M Euphrasia, (Sr), Memories on Msgr Raymond, 23.08.2002; alsoCf M Jane (Sr), Interview, 30.08.2005.8 Cf R Lucien, Christ: the Self Emptying of God, pp.188-189.

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Compassion is more than general kindness and tender-heartedness. It is to enter into the realm of other’s pain, fear, anguish andbrokenness. It challenges one to cry with those in misery, to mourn withthose who are lonely and to weep with those in tears. It calls one to beweak with the weak and to be vulnerable with the vulnerable. Itmeans full immersion in the condition of being human.9 Gaudiumet spes expresses it well. It is to know “the joy and hope, the griefand the anguish of the men of our time, especially of those who arepoor or afflicted in any way” (Gaudium et Spes 1).

2.2 Compassion: Love in ActionThe essential component of compassion is love. Compassion

is a form of love which does not insult the sufferer with pity; rather,it respects the integrity of the one in need. It is love that givescompassion the eyes to see the suffering it encounters; it is love thatfires compassion with desire to alleviate the suffering; it is love thatconstitutes a meaningful action. The theological foundation forcompassion is humanity’s imitatio of the pathos of God-in Christ,the affirmation of humanity created in the image of the incarnate-and-crucified divinity. It is founded on the theology of the cross. Inthe face of the suffering of others, Jesus “interposes Himself forthem…He gives Himself for them…He puts Himself in theirplace…He makes their state and fate their own cause.”10

Msgr Raymond sought to imitate Jesus, who was compassionate tothe sufferer. For him compassion was not a sentiment but an activeparticipation in the salvific mission of Jesus. For him to becompassionate was to open himself radically to the pathos of others.It meant for him to enter into the place and the context of the sufferer;to suffer with them, to listen and to hear their cry as God had donein Christ. While doing this concretely, he was not spared fromcriticism; the criticism did not prevent him from beingcompassionate. While recalling the compassionate heart of MsgrRaymond, one of the sisters wrote:

…Once I met a girl in our parlour who was found sad,disappointed and helpless. She told me that she was deniedthe admission into other Congregations and was told that onlythe Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany accept the candidateswith minimum education. I took her to our Founder, who notonly treated her with kindness but also accorded a warmwelcome to Bethany…11

9 Cf H J Nouwen et al., Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life, p. 410 R Lucien, A Kenotic Christology, p. 222.11 M Paupera (Sr), Memories on Msgr Raymond, 28.06.2002.

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His compassion towards the economically backward womenwas striking. One of the sisters described the compassionate heartof Msgr Raymond thus:

…He gave jobs to the poor women living around Bethany such aswashing the clothes of the community (Sisters), to clean thesurroundings, stable work, milking, work in the loom, to sell milk,to carry the material prepared in the loom. He arranged the childrenof the poor to put them in the orphanages at Kinnigoly, Gurpur…12

Compassionate ones are prophetic. They never mince wordsbut speak exactly what is in their minds. They speak their minds“within a context of liberating oppressed people and believing in aGod who is compassionate and faithful.”13 There are no masks andpretensions in them due to which they invariably suffermisunderstandings and undergo mental torment while pursuing theirideals. Msgr Raymond was not spared from this ordeal. Everyonedid not understand his vision and mission. But those who understoodhim had deep appreciation for him. One of his great admirers, Fr. J.P. Tauro, while he was the parish priest of Bendur, wrote:

…He had a preferential love for the poor and his options forthe poor made him start Kannada Medium Schools for girlsand boys here in the Church premises of St Sebastain andMargaret Mary. He did this in the context that, ApostolicCarmel Sisters and Jesuits were promoting English Mediumand serving the able class. He did this in the situation ofabject poverty among the poor and in this way he showedChrist’s preferential love for the poor especially for theilliterate poor class. He manifested gospel values andinspired others to do so all over the Diocese. The schoolsfor the education of poor girls (and boys) were replicatedeverywhere…14

Conclusion

Becoming a caring pastor or a compassionate shepherdsignifies a real letting go of ingrained egoistic attitudes; it is to gothrough a total conversion of heart and mind – metanoia. Metanoiais an experience of death. Death, however, is not the end of life but

12 M Myrrah (Sr), Memories on Msgr Raymond, 03.07.2002.13C Stuhlmueller, “The Foundations for Mission in the Old Testament,” p. 5614 J P Tauro (Fr), Memories on Msgr Raymond, 07.03. 2002.

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integral to the very process of life. To the non-believers, it soundslike madness but to the believers it is the power and wisdom of God(cf. 1Cor 1:23-24). One needs to die in order to bear much fruit.“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains justa single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24). Only inaccepting the reality of death, we are able to realize life in its fullness.This is how Msgr Raymond lived and is calling us to live in this erawhich requires much shepherding care.

Bibliography

Directory of the Diocese of Mangalore, Mangalore: Kodialbail Press,1925.Interview - Sr M Cecilia (19.08.2005)..................Sr M Jane (30.08.2005)...................Sr M Raymond (30.04. 2005)Lucien R, Christ: the Self-emptying of God, New York: Paulist Press,1997.................., A Kenotic Christology: In the Humanity of Jesus theChrist, The Compassion of our God, Washington: University Pressof America, 1982.Nouwen, H J, Mcneil, D & Morrison, D, Compassion: A Reflectionon the Christian Life, New York: Image Books, 1983.St John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, E A Peers (ed & trans)from the critical edition of P Silverio de Santa Teresa, Garden City:Doubleday, 1959Saldanha, VJP, “An Interview with Mr VJP Saldanha,” in Souvenir –Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany 1921-1996, pp. 40-41Stuhlmueller, C, “The Foundations for Mission in the Old Testament”in S Donald & C Stuhlmueller (eds), The Biblical Foundations forMission, London: SCM Press (1983), pp. 9-140Violette, M, Unless the Seed Die – A brief sketch of the Life ofMonsignor RFC Mascarenhas, the Founder of Bethany Sisters ofthe Little Flower, Mangalore: Kodialbail Press, 1985Written Memories on Msgr Raymond - Fr Tauro JP (07.03. 2002).................Sr M Paupera (28.06.2002).................Sr M Myrrah (03.07.2002).................Sr M Euphrasia (23.08. 2002)

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Most Rev. Aloysius Paul D’Souza along with other Celebrants around the Altar atSt Sebastian Church, Bendur, on 16 June 2008

Most Rev. AP D’ Souza with the concelebrants, Superior General and her Council, the Postulator, VicePostulator and the grand niece of Msgr Raymond.

CANONIZATION PROCESS BEGINS 16 JUNE 2008

Tomb of the Servant of GodRaymond Mascarenhas

Gathering arround the Eucharistic table at St Sebastian Church, Bendur on 16th June 2008.

Postulator Sr Katakayam Lillis,BS hands over the list of witnesses to Most Rev. AloysiusPaul D’Souza, the Bishop of Mangalore and the President of the Diocesan Board ofInquiry for the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas

Most Rev Aloysius Paul D’ Souza addresses the gathering on the opening of the DiocesanBoard of Inquiry for the Cause of SD Raymond Mascarenhas on 17th August 2008

Most Rev. Aloysius Paul D’Souza President of the Diocesan Board of Inquiry with Superior GeneralSr M Jyoti BS, Fr George Nedungatt, SJ with the Members of the Diocesan Board of Inquiry

OPENING OF THE DIOCESAN BOARD OF INQUIRY 17TH AUGUST, 2008

Diocesan Board of Inquiry with the Superior General and the Historical and TheologicalCommission for the Cause of SD Raymond Mascarenhas

Bethany Sisters with Sr M Jyoti, Superior General and Most Rev Aloysius Paul D’Souzathe Bishop of Mangalore on 16 June 2008 at St Sebastian Church, Bendur, Mangalore.

Sr Jyoti the Superior General proposes the vote of thanks on 17th August 2008

The views expressed here are entirely my own, and in mylimited knowledge of the English language, unexaggerated byanyone, but prompted by my love and respect for a great personMsgr(now proclaimed Servant of God)Raymond FC Mascarenhasof happy memory, after sixty odd years of the event. I say ‘sixty’because (i)I left Bendur to settle down in Bangalore some fifty fouryears ago, and (ii) I was quite close to this great man, Msgr RFCMascarenhas for about six years in the late forties. For record, I wasborn on 12 April 1929, which means I am nearing 80.

The duration of my close acquaintance with Monsignor isroughly from the middle of 1946 to early 1952. He was happy whenI told him of my appointment in the Bank. He had blessed andwished me well. (That Bank does not exist any more; it closed itsbusiness in 1960). I had left it long before ie, in October 1951.Anyway, the word banking means finance and bank employees areprecluded or forbidden from discussing or disclosing the financialstatus of individual clients of a bank. Consequently what I recordhere is not with any deliberate intention of breaking the establishedorder. Msgr Mascarenhas was a client of the Bank I was working in(I will come back to this in a later para).

What did attract me to Msgr Mascarenhas? Why, that verysaintly look of him! I do not know how he looked like when he wasyoung. If he was that same dynamic, down to earth, hard working,deep-thinking, a visionary, and a young holy priest of God, all thiswas visible in abundance in his later years when I came to beinfluenced by him, to admire and respect him for that serenity,simplicity, his frugal life-style, his wisdom, his spirituality (morevigourously observed by me while serving his Mass as an altar boy,occasionally). Well, all this and much more said and unsaid should,I am inclined to believe, entitle him to the honours of the Altar.

I have referred to him as a thinker and a visionary. He was avery compassionate person too and this encompassed both thephysical and the spiritual. It must have been the outcome of a deepfaith in God, and nothing else, that he ventured on projects withoutany financial or physical backing from any quarters to do somethinggood, to create something out of nothing.

Msgr RFC MascarenhasA Remembrance

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He saw death, pain and destruction of human life during thesevere plague that engulfed several parts of the country at the endof the First World War that ended in 1919. I have heard of hiscompassion for those suffering physical pain and also of leadingthem in prayer to implore God’s intercession that he decided tobuild the Church of St Sebastian, the patron saint of the physicallysuffering, on a barren patch of land with wild bushes that dried upin summer. It must have been a real hard task, and I have heard himbeing quoted as saying “will I be able to put life into these drybones…” or something like that, out of sheer frustration. Hisobjective or motto for building the church is manifested in the prayerpainted on a plaque overhanging the large statue of St Sebastian onthe main altar of the church “Pestinthlen Nivar Amkan…” And, thatwas some ninety years ago!

The other great achievement, if not the greatest, is theestablishment of the Congregation of Bethany Sisters and gettingits approval by the Holy See, for scores of those young girls whoaspired to offer themselves in God’s service as Religious Sisters ina convent, but encountered problems to be accepted in the existingnunneries, for some reason or the other. I do not wish to elaborateon this as it would be tantamount to hearsay.

Here, I go back to para three above. I really do not know, norhad the chance to study, how and where Msgr Mascarenhas foundthe means to establish (or found) the Congregation of BethanySisters. By the time I was big enough, I could see he had establishedthe Headquarters or the Motherhouse for his Congregation on apiece of land in Bendur, which was in two segments, being bifurcatedin the middle by a lane leading to the Bendur Church cemetery andbeyond. We were living close to one segment separated by a commoncompound wall.

The Founder must have been overwhelmed at the ever-increasing number of vocations, and it must have been anotherstruggle to find place to accommodate them and find the financesto maintain them.

Those days, South Kanara District was under the administrationof the then Madras Presidency. To promote education, the StateAdministration encouraged private institutions and groups toestablish schools and helped them with generous financial help inthe shape of teaching grants. Education was one more thing verydear to Msgr Mascarenhas and the great visionary that he was, he

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went about establishing several primary and higher primary schoolsto impart education to poor children. He also sent his own ReligiousSisters for Teachers’ Training /Higher Education to take on teachingjobs in their own institutions or elsewhere. Our Founder was theManager and correspondent of his schools. The Congregation wasexpanding as also the need for more dormitories, schools buildings,chapels etc,

As I said before, he was happy to hear that I was employed inthe bank where he did his transactions. Grant bills were comingand he entrusted me with them. Our job at the bank was to presentthem at the Government Treasury, get the cash and credit to hisaccount. The money would disappear as fast as it came; the needwas such, to meet some expenses or clear pending bills. Apart fromthe grant bills, there would be a private cheque occasionally, sentby some well-wisher or philanthropist or money offered for bulkMasses to be offered. I could see, it was a struggle for him to makeboth ends meet, to keep the homes going. But never did I see himin despair, grumble or show any signs of helplessness.

It must have been his ever-abiding faith in God that kept himgoing, day after day, the same faith that prompted him embark onprojects out of nothing. I had to see him both morning and evening.It was the same serenity, the same soft words, the peace pervadinghis simple living room/office, or the aura of holiness ( did I use theword holiness?) surrounding him or that went with him, wheneverI found him walking on the verandah of his room, with the Breviaryin his hands, engrossed in prayer and meditation.

When I saw the write-up in the daily newspaper Deccan Heralda few days ago and the picture inset, memory took me back somesixty odd years- the memory of that majestic face, those eyes- thepicture of a great man, a thinker, a visionary, full of concern, love,care and compassion for God’s people – a do-gooder, a holy man.If the Congregation of Bethany Sisters can look up to Heaven inprayer, fulfillment, thanksgiving and benediction for what it is today,its founder cannot be just an ordinary man. Much, much more thanthat. I am grateful and proud of my acquaintance with the Servantof God- Msgr RFC Mascarenhas.

James D’Souza

August 13, 2008

No. 2, C.K. GardenSt Thomas townBangalore 560 084Ph. 25468304

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Fr Mascarenhas had said that the love of Christ impelled him,urged him to undertake this difficult task. Again, he told his Bishopin speaking of what he was being urged to do, that he felt with the‘project’ of God. It was an ‘obsession’ that he could not shake off.

What is this ‘project’ of God that he was obsessed with so muchso that he was restless until he could find a way? He prayed to beenlightened, to be guided and consulted his Jesuit Bishop.

What is this ‘obsession?’ The only way he could fulfill himself as apriest, is to accept God’s plan or project for himself and for God’speople. So he prayed again and again for the light of the Holy Spiritto clarify for him God’s plan given to him; God had placed himalready in a couple of different parishes - as an assistant pastor forshort periods and then as a pastor of Udyavar. He gained a lot ofpriestly experience and he did a lot of good in these rural areas.And now obedience to his bishop had brought him to Bendur- abarren, undeveloped outlying area outside of Mangalore town. If in1914 anyone asked him on his arrival at Bendur- what do you intendto do here Father? Or what are your plans for this undevelopedarea? What would have been his reply? He lived one day at a timesearching for God’s will for that particular day.

From the time he entered the seminary with a desire to be apriest of God his one aim was to be like Jesus- who had shown himthe way and who must have constantly inspired him with His constant“Come, follow me” ( Lk 18:22 ). As a seminarian and as a priest hemust have reflected again and again on the life and mission of Jesusand made it his own. We can hear him saying, if not in words, butby his actions - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hasanointed me and made me his priest and minister - to bring GoodNews to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives,and recovery of sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed”(cf Lk 4: 18). This was his mission statement.

Here was a fourfold programme of Jesus and now it is going tobe his, because he wants to walk the way of the Lord:

The Mission ofFr Raymond Mascarenhas

Sr M Violette, BS

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1 to bring good news to the poor2 to proclaim liberty to the captives3 to give sight to the blind4 to free the oppressed

As a priest, he worked hard for achieving his mission plan. ie 1 the ‘poor’ are those who lack everything: -

goods of this worldlove of significant peopledignity of person

His life as an active priest and even after his retirement he spent inachieving this.

2 He proclaimed liberty to the captives - the freedom of thespirit

3 He gave sight to the blind - enlightened the minds of thosewho needed to be enlightened

4 He freed the oppressed - provided food, education, materialthings and enlightenment

He freed people from what fettered them. As a priest, he workedhard for achieving his mission plan. This was the reason for histotal option for the poor- to help them to free themselves from thebonds of poverty, ignorance, and dependence on others- so thatthey could live as free children of God. He opened their eyes to thegoodness of God and his marvellous creation, he opened schoolsto enlighten their mind and set them free from ignorance. He waspained by the oppression of women and the poor who were voicelessto determine their own future. So he heard the cry of the poor notonly of those who are poor in goods of this earth but also who arepoor in knowledge and are not able to help themselves. Those whoare poor in health, i.e., sick- those who are poor because they areaged and as such marginalized because they are not contributingmembers of the family as before.

‘To bring glad tidings to the poor’ Jesus looked with compassionon the economically poor and also the socially poor. At times, thepoor are also the down trodden, the oppressed, the afflicted, theforgotten, the neglected- and it is they who readily accept Jesus’message of salvation.

Many of these poor are also oppressed directly or indirectlybecause they cannot fend for themselves.

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Father Founder brought Good News not only to the poor in hisparish but he also set an example for us, Bethany Sisters. First of allhe made it clear that Bethany would not refuse to accept a candidatewith a genuine vocation only because she is poor. He wanted hissisters to alleviate poverty wherever they could and by using anymeans at their disposal. He sets us an example of always seekingthe lowest place because that is what belongs to the poor- not toseek prestigious jobs and offices which the poor will never get, andto seek out those who are left to fend for themselves. He wants usto champion their cause, fight with them their battles and help themto win justice, freedom and love. He himself was on the side of thepoor (easier to do so if you yourself are poor). He led us and taughtus how to go into areas where no one would want to go- becausethey are poor areas. He has set us an example of preference for thepoor, fighting for their rights and often getting hurt in their struggles-and now he tells us, “I have shown you the way to do the work ofthe Father, like Jesus, for which I was anointed by the Spirit” (cf Jn13: 15 & Lk 4: 18).

If we were to ask Father Founder how can we continue hiswork now in the 3rd millennium (21st century), perhaps he wouldanswer us in the words of St Paul to the Philippians (2:2-3), “Makeme completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing thesame love and being one in soul and mind. Don’t do anythingfrom selfish ambition or from cheap desire to boast, but be humbletowards one another, always considering others better thanyourselves.”

He was never tired to point out to the sisters that of all thesermons that we shall preach, the easiest to understand is goodexample. We cannot always speak but we can always witness to theGospel by our lives. He often quoted St John Chrysostom who placesthe power of example above the power of miracles and says, theconversion of the world took place not so much because of themiracles of the apostles as because of the holiness of their lives(*same is true of the Little flower). Emerson says, “What you arethunders so loud, that what you say, I cannot hear.” Jesus himselfappealed “learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart”(Mt 11:29 ), or I have given you an example that as I have done toyou so you also do” (Jn 13:15 ). St Paul encouraged the Christians,“Be imitators of me as I am of Christ” ( I Cor 4: 16).

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To my dear Sisters of Bethany

My children in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,These are my last requests to you, now that our dear Lord

has been pleased to take me away from you and summon meto his presence.

1. I beg of you to continue always to pray for my poor soul. Donot, in your charity and natural good opinion of me, ceaseyour prayers for me, saying I am no more in need of them. Ihave received much and I have to answer for much, and Ileave the world full of temporal debts to be paid in purgatory.

2. I beg each and everyone of you to give me, for the space ofthree months after my death, the benefit of all your masses,communions, rosaries, and all other good works during thatperiod.

3. I beg of you to remember me perpetually each month on thedate of my death and give me the benefit of all your masses,communions, rosaries, and all your good works of that day.

4. I beg of you also to remember me perpetually on theanniversary day of my death, by, besides giving me the benefitsas in number 3, having a low mass celebrated for the reposeof my soul, if possible or convenient, in the Bethany Chapel.If, the day or place is inconvenient, kindly choose a proximateday and another place for the said Mass.

5. If our good Mother disposes that as I have earnestly desiredand directed, my grave should be at the foot of her Grotto inBethany, do not forget to say an occasional prayer for me atmy grave.

6. My humble trust is that Jesus, lover of Bethany and Mary, theQueen Mother will enable me to pray for each and everyoneof you, kneeling at their feet, even from the depths ofpurgatory, while you pray for me in this world.

7. I commit each and everyone of you, now present and all thosethat will join afterwards to the most Sacred Hearts of our dearLord and beloved Mother. May dear Bethany be the housewhich loves Jesus and Mary and is loved by them. May your

Last Last Last Last Last WWWWWill and ill and ill and ill and ill and TTTTTestament ofestament ofestament ofestament ofestament ofMsgr Raymond F C MascarenhasMsgr Raymond F C MascarenhasMsgr Raymond F C MascarenhasMsgr Raymond F C MascarenhasMsgr Raymond F C Mascarenhas

All for Jesus through Mary

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love toward our Blessed Lord and beloved Mother evermanifest itself by the love and charity which reigns amongyou, and the perfect obedience which you show in thought,word and deed towards those who for you take their place inBethany.

8. May Our Lord from the infinite treasures of His Sacred Heartand the rich merits of his dear Mother, Queen Mother ofBethany and the powerful intercession of his foster-father, StJoseph our dear protector, supply abundantly my numerousdeficiencies and negligences with regard to dear Bethany; andmay the Little Flower who was my helper in this work from itsvery commencement and has sustained me in its care all alongthrough many trials and difficulties and who, above all things,has secured for Bethany the special maternal love and care ofour Mother in heaven which has kept us up and led us on,have you under her very special sisterly protection.

9. Finally, in consideration of my work for you and as a returnfor the little I have given you or done for you and also as asmall memento of mine, I wish you to accept and fulfill thisperpetual legacy, which, as specially mine, I leave to you;which also will be a constant occasion for you to rememberme and pray for me:

i) Every Saturday, the singing of Our Lady’s Anthem in themorning and of the Magnificat in the evening, with thereading from A Few Minutes with Mary on Saturdays at aconvenient time.

ii) The recitation according to your convenience wholly or inpart of the Officium Parvum Beatae Mariae Virginis whichI have specially translated for you.

iii) A constant, loving and filial devotion to our dear Motherwhich you will have in yourselves and earnestly promoteamong others.

iv) Going through Mary to Jesus, have always before you thedesire of having Perpetual Adoration in Bethany, duringday and night, and pray and work to realize this idealaccording to every means in your power.

My blessing to each one of you.

FatherBethanySaturday, March 28, 1942

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1992/1 I am grateful to Msgr Mascarenhas for my successfulsurgery.

- Anthony D’ Silva, Goa

1992/2 After I prayed to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, the founder ofBethany, I was healed from Cancer. My faith in God hasincreased. I thank him sincerely.

- Gracy Louis, Goa

1993/1 I have received favours through the intercession ofFr Raymond Mascarenhas.

- JELB, Siddakatte

1993/2 Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,I am healed of my ear pain. I thank him with all my heart.

- S. Vas

1994/1 I have received favours through the intercession of MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him.

- Benedicta Pereira, Mumbai

1994/2 Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,I have received a favour which was not possible throughhuman means. My grateful thanks to him.

- A Bethany Sister

1995/1 I have received favours through the intercession of Fr.Raymond Mascarenhas. My sincere thanks to him.

- Sr Hariette, BS

1995/2 I am grateful to God for having received favours throughthe intercession of Fr. Raymond Mascarenhas.

- Sr Valentine, BS, Santi Bastwad

Favours Received from 1992 to 1997 through theIntercession of the Servant of God

Raymond FC Mascarenhas Published in Raknno,the Konkani Weekly of Mangalore Diocese

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1995/3 I was in a critical condition and the doctors had given uphope of my recovery. At this time I had recourse to MsgrRFC Mascarenhas, founder of the Congregation of theSisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, Mangalore. I amnow cured through his intercession.

- Mrs Midsy Colaco, Velim, Goa

1995/4 Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,I have received a favour. My grateful thanks to God.

- Sr. Sibil, BS , Puttur

1996/1 Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,I had a safe delivery.

- Maria Mascarenhas, Konaje, Mangalore

1996/2 We thank our dear Founder and all those who prayed forthe speedy recovery of Sr Emilda. It is indeed a miracle.

- Bethany Generalate, Mangalore

1996/3 An impossible thing made possible by Fr RFC Mascarenhas

- Sr Grace Maria, BS, Sahodaya School, Delhi

1996/4 Through the intercession of Bethany’s Founder, MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas, we received the maintenance grantof our orphanage. Sincere thanks to him.

- Sr Severin, BS, Madanbhavi

1996/5 I have received favours through the intercession of Fr.Raymond Mascarenhas. My sincere thanks to him.

- Nelson Sequiera

1996/6 Grateful thanks to our dear Fr Founder, Msgr RFCMascarenhas for assisting us in our dire need.

- Sr Chantal, BS, Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana

1997/1 I am grateful to God for having received favours throughthe intercession of Fr. Raymond Mascarenhas. Sincerethanks to him.

- Sr Agnella, BS

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1997/2 Through the intercession of Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas,I was completely healed of the stomach pain and all otherillnesses. Thanks to him.

- Gregory Monteiro, Ozanam Home

1997/3 Grateful thanks to God for special favours received throughthe intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas.

- Sr Anseline, BS

1997/4 I am grateful to God for having received favours throughthe intercession of Fr Raymond Mascarenhas. My deepgratitude to God. I am sincerely sorry for being late topublish this favour.

- Gurpur

1997/5 Received favours through the intercession of Msgr RFCMascarenhas. I continue to pray for other favours.

- A Cutinha, Bejai

1997/6 Grateful thanks for special favours received through theintercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas

- Sr Rita Felcy, BS

1997/7 Through the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas I nowenjoy better health. Grateful thanks to him. I continue topray for my complete recovery.

- Sr Jositta, BS, Bethany Convent

1997/8 Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the special favoursreceived.

- Sr Hilarita, Bethany Convent, Bangalore

1997/9 I thank the Lord for granting me two important favoursthrough the intercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas

- Sr Lillis, BS

1997/10 Thanks for the cure of skin disease through the intercessionof Msgr RFC Mascarenhas, the Founder of Bethany.

- Sr Eucharia, BS

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1997/11 Thanks for favours received through the intercession ofMgr RFC Mascarenhas, Founder of Bethany.

- N.N.

1997/12 I have received favours through the intercession of MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas. My grateful thanks to him.

- Sr Virginia, BS Kulshekar

1997/13 Received a favour through the intercession of MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas. Our sincere thanks to him.

- Bethany Sisters, Vamanjoor

1997/14 Grateful thanks to God for favours received through theintercession of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas.

- Sr Oswine, BS

1997/15 I have received a favour through the intercession of MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas. Sincere thanks to him.

- Sr Jacintha, BS, Bajpe

1997/16 Grateful thanks to our Founder Msgr RFC Mascarenhasfor his powerful intercession on behalf of my sister whogave birth to a baby girl.

- Sr Helen Rebello, BS

1997/17 Received a favour through the intercession of MsgrRaymond Mascarenhas. Thanks to him.

- Mr Gregory Monteiro, Ozanam Home, Kalyanpur

1997/18 Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received.

- Sr Melwyn, BS, Permannur

1997/19 Thanks to Msgr RFC Mascarenhas for the favours received.- Sr Grace Ida, BS, Ajekar

You are requested to send in acknowledgements of favoursreceived for publication

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With acute diabetics and gangrenedfoot, I was admitted to the hospital. Inspiteof the treatment, the gangrene wasspreading rapidly. Doctors conducted asurgery for the removal of the toe whichturned septic. Instead of the recovery mycondition deteriorated. The doctors proposed that the gangrenousleg below the knee be amputated. In my desperation andexcruciating pain, I changed the hospital. Even with the besttreatment there was no improvement. My lungs were affectedand the kidneys stopped functioning. The doctors proposed thatI be put on dialysis although there were no chances of myrecovery.

I could not take any food. Sleep eluded me being physicallyweak and mentally disturbed. Doctors gave up hopes. When Iwas in such a precarious condition, my daughter Sr Priscilla, BStaught me to pray to Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas, the Founderof Bethany Congregation. I requested her to give me the holywater placed on the mortal remains of the holy priest to drink. Icontinued to pray through his intercession with full faith andtrust promising to visit his cottage and light the candles. After Iprayed the rosary I felt peaceful and slept for sometime. Whenawakened from sleep I was able to take some food and I couldfeel the healing process taking place within me. Kidneys startedfunctioning normally without dialysis. After spending 78 daysin the hospital I was discharged. Being grateful to God for themiraculous cure through the intercession of Msgr RaymondMascarenhas, I visited his cottage and lighted the candles. MayGod be praised!

Miraculous HealingsMiraculous HealingsMiraculous HealingsMiraculous HealingsMiraculous Healings

Mrs Benedicta BraggsFajir, Majhi Katta, Mangalore.November, 2005

TTTTTotal Recoveryotal Recoveryotal Recoveryotal Recoveryotal Recovery

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My three months old nephew suffering from pneumonia wasadmitted at Calicut Medical College Hospital on 3 July 2008.The child was under observation in the pediatric ICU and oxygenwas administered as his condition was deteriorating.

The child was not baptized; therefore my wife gave himbaptism on emergency basis and named him Raymond. We keptpraying for the baby and requested prayers from Bethany Sistersat Chavayur. For about 2 ½ months the child showed noimprovement and we were losing hope. At this juncture Sr Lillis,the Provincial Superior offered special prayers before the BlessedSacrament along with us. Later we continued to pray throughthe intercession of the Servant of God Msgr RFC Mascarenhas.

At this point, we noticed miraculous changes in the baby. Sohis health improved and we got him discharged from the hospitalwithin a week. The child is now named Raymond Joseph. Westrongly believe that this great miracle is through the intercessionof the Servant of God RFC Mascarenhas. We thank the Lord forHis mercy shown to us through the instrumentality of the Servantof God Raymond Mascarenhas.

Mr Johny VC‘Psalms’ 33/6329 B,Golf Link RoadChavayur, Calicut -17Kerala.November, 2008

Nagaraj Nagaraj Nagaraj Nagaraj Nagaraj (2 years in 2006)son of Mrs Vanishree, the Inspectress of

Schools of Kankanady Range was born throughthe intercession of the Servant of God

Msgr Raymond Mascarenhas.Vanishree has become a great devotee

of the Servant of God.

Child Saved from DeathChild Saved from DeathChild Saved from DeathChild Saved from DeathChild Saved from Death

Gift of a Child Gift of a Child Gift of a Child Gift of a Child Gift of a Child

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