Archbishop felicitated on entering 50TH year of priesthood
Bengaluru, Dec 06: Thirty priests including Vicars general Msgr. S Jayanathan, Msgr. C Francis and other officials of the Archdiocesan curia con-celebrated solemn mass with Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras on the 49th anniversary of his Priestly Ordination at the Clergy Home chapel at 7am, December 6th. Archdiocesan Financial Administrator Rev. Fr. Martin Kumar, in his homily on the Words of the Gospel about the good shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to look for the lost one. Any mother having 15 children would go looking for one who is lost he said adding “We can see in our beloved Archbishop a good shepherd who cares very much for everyone in the Archdiocese and one who has a revealing love for the Holy Eucharist too and great devotion to our Blessed Mother, St. Francis Xavier and St. Joseph”.
Speaking of the three characteristics of Missionaries especially of St. Francis Xavier, Fr. Martin said “Missionaries were determined to fulfill their mission no matter what the circumstances. Secondly, they always smiled spreading joy and cheer with the people they ministered to. Thirdly, they had supernatural patience which is absolutely needed for any mission work. They would wait for hours, days, weeks, months or even years for God to accomplish what He begins in them.” “Our beloved Archbishop has all the three characteristics” Fr. Martin said adding “When he sets out to do something in the Archdiocese, he does it with great determination till he accomplishes it. He is always found smiling at people even if the going gets tough or even when tired, even the Archdiocesan magazine ‘Tabor’ carried an article ‘the smiling Archbishop’. His patience is admirable because he maintains a calm even when discussions sometimes get heated”.
After mass, at a brief felicitation at the Archbishops’ House dining hall, Secretary to the Archbishop, Fr. Paneer Selva Kumar made five observations about the Archbishop gathered since he served as regent in the Archbishop’s House in 2009-2010. He said “The Archbishop is loving father, guiding shepherd, great visionary, an efficient administrator, man of prayer. The Archbishop acknowledged the presence of priests who joined in praying for him and the Archdiocese. He was greeted with a bouquet and draped with a shawl.
Later in the evening, about 4`o clock priests those who work at Archbishop house and lay staff gathered to felicitate and thank the Archbishop for his support and encouragement. The Archbishop in a brief message to the gathering said all thosew who work in archbishop`s house should give respect to the priest and pray for them.
((Archbishop Bernard Moras was born on 10th Aug. 1941, in Kuppepadavu – a village in Dakshina Kannada to the late Francis Moras and Monthin Moras. He joined St. Joseph’s Seminary on 30th June 1959. He was ordained Priest in his home parish at Kuppepadavu on 6th Dec. 1967. Among many portfolios held, he served as Assistant Director of St. Anthony’s charitable institutions in Mangalore. In 1970, he was appointed Assistant Director at Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institutions (Hospital) and later Director (1975-78). In 1978, he became Executive Director of the Catholic Hospital Association of India (CHAI). In 1980, he was appointed Administrator of St. John’s Medical College Hospital. He is founder member and President of the Karnataka Voluntary Health Association. He was installed as the Archbishop of Bangalore at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral grounds on 17th September 2004 at 4.30 p.m.)