Sponsors

May 28, 2007

When you are approaching the sunset of your life, all you are looking for is love, care, affection, solace and company.  When your loved ones are not in a position to provide this to you for whatever reasons…then?  Yes, you plead with your creator to be your hope when you are absolutely hopeless.  You expect Him to send a ray of hope when you are in the last chapter of your life story.  Yes…the Ozanam Home is the Home for Aged…a ray of hope for the hopeless. 

The Ozanam Home for the Aged had its humble beginning in the year 1982, “The International Year of the Aged” declared by the United Nations Organization.  The brain child of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Udupi Particular Council under the able leadership of Dr. Gregory D’Sa, was founded with the help of two spinster sisters.  This dream would have remained a dream, if it were not for the encouragement, support and help from the Late Bishop of Mangalore Diocese Most Rev. Dr. Basil D’souza.  It is he who blessed and inaugurated The Ozanam Home for Aged on the 14th of December 1982 in the presence of Mr. Kohli of HELPAGE INDIA.

Situated at Santhekatte, Kallianpura of Udupi District, Karnataka, Ozanam Home for the Aged was a milestone in the History of the Diocese of Mangalore, as it was the first project of its kind conceived, managed and administered by lay people throughout all the Dioceses of India. Those elderly people in the evenings of their lives, who have none to look for love, care and affection found a paradise here to spend the last chapter of their lives.

This noble project initiated and executed by the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Udupi Particular Council has been financially supported by various sources including a number of Conferences of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Help age India and other well wishers donors and philanthropists.  The hand of the Divine Providence was always felt, especially in the initial stages as the Home could cater to the needs of the elderly people from the limited resourced it had.  The Bishop of Mangalore also took a wise decision to appoint a Resident Chaplain who happened to be the Principal of the Milagres College, Kallianpura.  Since its inception, Ozanam has the distinction of admitting 136 elderly citizens and rightly deserves credit for providing them with tenderly care, love and affection, catering to all their physical and spiritual needs.   When the creator had His last say, some of these senior citizens have gone to their eternal reward peacefully and Ozanam has taken utmost care to give them befitting funerals.  Ozanam Home for the Aged now is a secured heaven on earth to 39 Inmates who spend their days cheerfully having a lot of time to pray to the creator.

It is a known fact that in the evening of our lives loneliness, advanced age and sicknesses give reasons enough to seek succor, solace, care and company, not to mention the appealing thoughts and fear of becoming onus and burden to one’s dear ones. Just till lately, the social transitional factors were slow to be sprouted and mild to be felt, there is now the increasing need to search for the inmates with deserving crendentials for admittance.