Centenary Celebrations Of Catholic Association Of South Kanara (CASK)

Mangalore, September 18: The Valedictory function of the cask centenary celebrations will be held on Sunday21^st September 2014 at 5.30 pm at Mialgre’s hall in Mangalore.

The honorable vice president of India – Sri M. Hamid Ansari will be invited as the chief guest. 

The governor of Karnataka – Sri Vajubhai Vala and the chief minister of Karnataka –Sri Siddaramaiah will be invited as the guest of honour. Sri Eric Gonsalves IFS (Retd), former Ambassador & secretary – Minister of external affairs and Sri M.S. Ramanujan, Chief post master general, Karnataka circle shall grace the occasion.

Respected Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of Mangalore and patron of CASK shall preside over the function.

About CASK:

The Catholic Association of South Kanara(CASK) is the oldest Catholic Lay Organization in South India, established in July 1914 and Registered under the Societies Act in 1925. Thus the Association is celebrating its CENTENARY (100 years) this year.

CASK publishes a monthly magazine titled “Mangalore” since July 1927, one of the oldest monthly magazines in the country, with the credit of uninterrupted publication for 87 years.

The credit for establishing CASK in 1914 goes to the then Bishop Paul Perini SJ, who is said to have encouraged the clergy and the laity to start an association to promote religious, economic and social welfare of the people. Bishop Perini was elected as the Founder President of CASK, with Rao Sahib A.J. Lobo as Founder Vice-President and Dr Bonaventure Colaco as Founder Secretary. The other Founder Members were Dewan Bahadur S.L. Mathias, Rao Saheb B.Colaco, Dewan Bahadur Alexo Pinto, Munsiff Joseph Lobo, Dr L.P. Fernandes, Dewan Bahadur P.C. Lobo, Mr Alexander E.C. Vas, Mr Piedade. F.X. Vas and Mrs Louisa Rodrigues.

Over the last 100 years, CASK has worked towards fulfilling the following Objectives of the Association:

1. Promote the educational, economic, cultural, social and general welfare of the community;
2. Render assistance to the under-privileged and vulnerable groups of society, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or any other distinction;
3. Support the publication of books, periodicals and other literature authored by community members and also support preservation of the Konkani language, literature, culture, heritage, arts, architecture, music and fine arts.
4. Act as the voice of the community in upholding its rights and privileges.
5. Inter-act, network and function as a link to unite the community spread across India and abroad.

Till date, CASK has about 1200 Members worldwide.

CASK organizes regular programmes for its members and also special programmes for students, youth, women and other target groups. It is proposed to implement the following projects in honor of the CASK Centenary.

1. “Promotion of Blood, Organ and Whole Body Donations” in collaboration with Fr Muller Hospital. CASK will be involved in :

• Creating awareness to encourage people to donate blood and pledge organs.
• Develop Fr Muller Hospital as a major hub for harvesting, storing and transplantation of organs like eyes, kidneys, skin, heart valves etc. Towards this end, CASK has donated a minus 80 degree centigrade Deep Freezer to the Blood Bank of Fr Muller’s to enable Blood Plasma to be stored for 3-5 years. It is also proposed to increase the mortuary capacity of the hospital from the present 8 to 12 or 14 and establish a Skin Bank to help Burn cases.

2. “Personality Development Programme” for School Students. CASK has conducted this programme in 6 schools in Mangalore in the last two years. A total of 680 students were the beneficiaries of the programme. This useful programme has been extended to 5 schools and 2 PU Colleges this year covering another 400 students. This will be an ongoing programme covering 4-5 schools each year.
3. Substantially scale-up the CASK Education Fund in order to provide annual scholarship to deserving students irrespective of religion, caste, creed or other distinctions. As part of the Centenary, scholarships of value-Rs.2,000/- each were awarded to 105 students from 25 schools in DK/Udupi districts last year, primarily for purchase of books. Another 100 students will be awarded Rs.5,000/- each for purchase of books and extra coaching at the Valedictory function of the CASK Centenary on 21^st September 2014.
4. Organize talks by eminent Kanara Catholics in various professional colleges. It is proposed to organize at least Ten(10) talks during the Centenary year.
5. Publish a book on the 100-year history of CASK and the Mangalorean Catholic community. This book titled “CASK and Fellow Centurions” authored by Mr John B. Monteiro was released on 22^nd September 2013 at Mangalore by Her Excellency Smt Margater Alva, Governor of Rajastan.
6. Home for the Homeless – This scheme is promoted by the Diocese of Mangalore. CASK is sponsoring one Home for the Homeless at a poor parish.
7. Owning Office Premises: The longstanding dream of CASK to own an Office space of its own was fulfilled in honor of the Centenary. A 550 sq ft Office space at Pio Mall, Bijai has been purchased and we now operate from the new office.

Some of the notable achievements of CASK over the last 100 years are:

• Publishing the monthly magazine ‘Mangalore’ since July 1927 to date i.e. a record 87 years of uninterrupted publication; Over the 100 years, there were 21 Editors of the magazine-All kudos to them!
• Education Aid and Scholarship to a large number of deserving students;
• Acting as the lobbyist for obtaining grants and benefits to the institutions run by the community and Acting as the voice of the community in fighting discrimination, atrocities or any kind of injustice.
• CASK was a prime facilitator in bringing the Missionaries of Charity of Blessed Mother Theresa to Mangalore and had an important role in helping Mother Theresa to start her Destitute Home in Mangalore.
• The Association has supported several charitable and philanthropic causes over the past 100 years, without any publicity.
• CASK has provided the leadership and acted as the forum and voice in highlighting the problems and issues related to the community.

The present Office-bearers of CASK are: Dr Derek Lobo – President; Mr Ulhas Prabhu – Vice-President; Mrs Nayana Fernandes – Vice-President; Capt. John Prasad Menezes – Secretary; Mr Walter D’Sa – Joint Secretary-cum-Treasurer.

 Mangalore, September 18: The Valedictory function of the cask centenary celebrations will be held on Sunday21^st September 2014 at 5.30 pm at Mialgre’s hall in Mangalore.

The honorable vice president of India – Sri M. Hamid Ansari will be invited as the chief guest. 

The governor of Karnataka – Sri Vajubhai Vala and the chief minister of Karnataka –Sri Siddaramaiah will be invited as the guest of honour. Sri Eric Gonsalves IFS (Retd), former Ambassador & secretary – Minister of external affairs and Sri M.S. Ramanujan, Chief post master general, Karnataka circle shall grace the occasion.

Respected Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of Mangalore and patron of CASK shall preside over the function.

About CASK:

The Catholic Association of South Kanara(CASK) is the oldest Catholic Lay Organization in South India, established in July 1914 and Registered under the Societies Act in 1925. Thus the Association is celebrating its CENTENARY (100 years) this year.

CASK publishes a monthly magazine titled “Mangalore” since July 1927, one of the oldest monthly magazines in the country, with the credit of uninterrupted publication for 87 years.

The credit for establishing CASK in 1914 goes to the then Bishop Paul Perini SJ, who is said to have encouraged the clergy and the laity to start an association to promote religious, economic and social welfare of the people. Bishop Perini was elected as the Founder President of CASK, with Rao Sahib A.J. Lobo as Founder Vice-President and Dr Bonaventure Colaco as Founder Secretary. The other Founder Members were Dewan Bahadur S.L. Mathias, Rao Saheb B.Colaco, Dewan Bahadur Alexo Pinto, Munsiff Joseph Lobo, Dr L.P. Fernandes, Dewan Bahadur P.C. Lobo, Mr Alexander E.C. Vas, Mr Piedade. F.X. Vas and Mrs Louisa Rodrigues.

Over the last 100 years, CASK has worked towards fulfilling the following Objectives of the Association:

1. Promote the educational, economic, cultural, social and general welfare of the community;
2. Render assistance to the under-privileged and vulnerable groups of society, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or any other distinction;
3. Support the publication of books, periodicals and other literature authored by community members and also support preservation of the Konkani language, literature, culture, heritage, arts, architecture, music and fine arts.
4. Act as the voice of the community in upholding its rights and privileges.
5. Inter-act, network and function as a link to unite the community spread across India and abroad.

Till date, CASK has about 1200 Members worldwide.

CASK organizes regular programmes for its members and also special programmes for students, youth, women and other target groups. It is proposed to implement the following projects in honor of the CASK Centenary.

1. “Promotion of Blood, Organ and Whole Body Donations” in collaboration with Fr Muller Hospital. CASK will be involved in :

• Creating awareness to encourage people to donate blood and pledge organs.
• Develop Fr Muller Hospital as a major hub for harvesting, storing and transplantation of organs like eyes, kidneys, skin, heart valves etc. Towards this end, CASK has donated a minus 80 degree centigrade Deep Freezer to the Blood Bank of Fr Muller’s to enable Blood Plasma to be stored for 3-5 years. It is also proposed to increase the mortuary capacity of the hospital from the present 8 to 12 or 14 and establish a Skin Bank to help Burn cases.

2. “Personality Development Programme” for School Students. CASK has conducted this programme in 6 schools in Mangalore in the last two years. A total of 680 students were the beneficiaries of the programme. This useful programme has been extended to 5 schools and 2 PU Colleges this year covering another 400 students. This will be an ongoing programme covering 4-5 schools each year.
3. Substantially scale-up the CASK Education Fund in order to provide annual scholarship to deserving students irrespective of religion, caste, creed or other distinctions. As part of the Centenary, scholarships of value-Rs.2,000/- each were awarded to 105 students from 25 schools in DK/Udupi districts last year, primarily for purchase of books. Another 100 students will be awarded Rs.5,000/- each for purchase of books and extra coaching at the Valedictory function of the CASK Centenary on 21^st September 2014.
4. Organize talks by eminent Kanara Catholics in various professional colleges. It is proposed to organize at least Ten(10) talks during the Centenary year.
5. Publish a book on the 100-year history of CASK and the Mangalorean Catholic community. This book titled “CASK and Fellow Centurions” authored by Mr John B. Monteiro was released on 22^nd September 2013 at Mangalore by Her Excellency Smt Margater Alva, Governor of Rajastan.
6. Home for the Homeless – This scheme is promoted by the Diocese of Mangalore. CASK is sponsoring one Home for the Homeless at a poor parish.
7. Owning Office Premises: The longstanding dream of CASK to own an Office space of its own was fulfilled in honor of the Centenary. A 550 sq ft Office space at Pio Mall, Bijai has been purchased and we now operate from the new office.

Some of the notable achievements of CASK over the last 100 years are:

• Publishing the monthly magazine ‘Mangalore’ since July 1927 to date i.e. a record 87 years of uninterrupted publication; Over the 100 years, there were 21 Editors of the magazine-All kudos to them!
• Education Aid and Scholarship to a large number of deserving students;
• Acting as the lobbyist for obtaining grants and benefits to the institutions run by the community and Acting as the voice of the community in fighting discrimination, atrocities or any kind of injustice.
• CASK was a prime facilitator in bringing the Missionaries of Charity of Blessed Mother Theresa to Mangalore and had an important role in helping Mother Theresa to start her Destitute Home in Mangalore.
• The Association has supported several charitable and philanthropic causes over the past 100 years, without any publicity.
• CASK has provided the leadership and acted as the forum and voice in highlighting the problems and issues related to the community.

The present Office-bearers of CASK are: Dr Derek Lobo – President; Mr Ulhas Prabhu – Vice-President; Mrs Nayana Fernandes – Vice-President; Capt. John Prasad Menezes – Secretary; Mr Walter D’Sa – Joint Secretary-cum-Treasurer.