Margaret Alva initiates CASK centenary celebrations

The centenary celebrations of Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK) was inaugurated by Governor of Rajasthan Margaret Alva.

Speaking after inaugurating the celebrations here on Sunday, she said that Christians have succeded in retaining their identity inspite of attack on them. There is a need to document Konkani culture, tradition, dance and music, to pass on to the future generations. There is a need to revive all those activities associated with the Christians in the region.

As majority of the youth from Christian community are working abroad, there is a need to train care takers to take care of the elders of the community back in Mangalore.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes said that Christians have contributed a lot in the field of education, health and other service sectors in Mangalore. When there was none to take care of leprosy patients, it was Fr Muller who started in-patient ward in the Fr Muller hospital to treat leprosy patients. Most of the churches had started schools in its jurisdiction to impart education to the people.

Mangalore Bishop Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza blessed the occasion.  A book entitled ‘CASK and fellow centurions’ tracing the 100-year-old history of the Association authored by John B Monteiro was released on the occasion.

CASK President Dr Derek Lobo said that as a part of the centenary celebrations, the CASK will promote blood, organ and body donation in association with the Fr Muller Charitable institutions. The CASK will be primarily involved in creating awareness to encourage people to donate blood and pledge organs. 

The CASK will help the Fr Muller Hospital in purchasing a minus 80 degree centigrade deep freezer that will enable blood plasma to be stored for upto one year and increase the mortuary capacity of the hospital from the present 8 to 12.  Personality development programmes will be held in four schools in Mangalore, to cover atleast 680 students. The CASK education fund will be increased to Rs 1 crore in order to provide annual scholarship to the deserving students irrespective of religion, caste and creed. The association is the oldest Catholic Lay Organisations in South India and was established in 1914. The CASK has been publishing monthly magazine titled ‘Mangalore’ since July 1927.