Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 19: The silver jubilee celebrations of Mangalore Diocesan Chair in Christianity at Mangalore University will be held on Wednesday, November 21 at Milagres Hall, said Fr Dr John Baptist Saldanha, professor and head, chair in Christianity, Mangalore University, and professor, St Joseph’s Seminery, Jeppu.
Addressing a press meet here on Monday November 19 he said that to celebrate the occasion, the University Chair in Christianity has organized a workshop on the theme 'Contributions of the Coastal Christians to Society'.
Eminent scholars will present papers on topics related to Christianity in coastal Karnataka, namely, 'Christianity during the colonial period', 'Contributions of the Basel Mission', 'Christians as pioneers in the field of education and healthcare in coastal Karnataka', 'Contributions of Christian community to the growth of art, architecture and literature' and 'Participation in freedom struggle and national building'.
Prof Dr T C Shivashankara Murthy, vice-chancellor, Mangalore University, Dr Aloysious Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangalore and Dr John S Sadanand, Bishop of CSI-Karnataka Southern Diocese will be present both for the inauguartion of the workshop at 9:30 am, as well as for the evening public function.
The workshop will be held from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. It will be followed by the silver jubilee public function during which those who have served the chair in the past 25 years will be felicitated.
"The late Bishop Basil D’Souza had filed an application to Mangalore University on July 9, 1984 for the setting up of a chair in Christianity. It received the consent of the chancellor, the governor of Karnataka on June 2, 1986. The Mangalore University, by an order dated July 3, 1987, made the appointment of the professor and head of the chair. Thus the chair officially began to function from July 3, 1987," he added.
Dr Victor Machado, Dr Sr Marie Prem A C, Dr Hannibal Cabral and Fr Denis D’Sa were also present.