Media Release
Muscat, May 17: The Ghala Mangalorean Catholic Community successfully hosted their much-anticipated Easter Joy celebrations on Thursday, May 1 at the Sur Ballroom, Muscat Holiday Inn Hotel, Sultanate of Oman.
The event saw a wonderful turnout from the Mangalurean community in Oman, who came together to share the joy of Easter and reinforce community spirit.
The programme was skillfully emceed by Lavina, a respected member of the community. She warmly welcomed the chief guest, Fr George Vadukutt, the parish priest of Holy Spirit Church Ghala.
The celebrations commenced with a beautiful and heartfelt rendition of the hymn 'Dennyancha Dhathara Kurpecha Sagora' by Stino and Sonal Pinto, which beautifully set the tone for the Easter spirit.
Following this, Lavina invited the executive committee to the stage. Fr George then joined them to deliver the opening prayer and address the attendees. A moment of silence was also observed in remembrance of our beloved Papa Francis. Fr George's insightful message highlighted Pope Francis' three encyclicals: ‘The Joy of the Gospel’, ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (Brothers in Christ), and ‘Laudato Si’ (Love for the Mother Earth). He commended the Mangalorean community for their significant contributions to the church and noted that we are the second-largest community in the Parish, expressing his anticipation for our continued support.
Fr George then joined the EC Committee in lighting the traditional lamp and subsequently unveiled the Easter Egg with president Ophelia Lazarus. As a token of appreciation, Fr George was presented with a potted plant.
President Ophelia Lazarus welcomed everyone and expressed her gratitude for their overwhelming support, especially given the event's rescheduling. She encouraged everyone to carry the message of hope and renewal from Easter in their hearts and to enjoy the fellowship and happiness of the occasion. Ophelia's long-standing dedication to Konkani associations in Oman and her valued collaboration with the Ghala Parish council were also acknowledged.
The Easter Egg competition, judged by Fr George, Agnes Quadros, Alwin Dessa, and Ophelia Lazarus, showcased a wonderful display of creativity, making the selection of winners a challenging task. The winners were Francis D’Souza, 1st prize, Shawnel Lewis 2nd prize and Jaden Antony D’Souza 3rd prize.
The following executive committee represent GMCC 2024-2026:
Ophelia Lazarus – President
Praveen Serra (Niddodi) – Vice president – Finance and audit
Suneel Menezes – Vice president – Cultural and sports
Wilma Priya D’Souza – General secretary
Loy Castelino – Community services secretary
Reevan D’Cunha – Finance secretary
Steevan Pereira – Internal auditor
Loyd D’Cunha – Sports secretary
Manoj Chetan D’Souza – Cultural secretary
Ashwin D’Cunha – Techno support secretary
Preema D’Souza – Spiritual & choir secretary
Reena D’Souza – Spiritual co-ordinator
After the formal proceedings, Lavina passed the microphone to Praveen Serra (Niddodi), vice president (finance and audit), who brought an energetic spirit to the evening's community engagement activities. His lively style and excellent time management set the stage for an evening of unity and fun. The festivities kicked off with an enthusiastic participation of the audience and the EC Committee in the Ram sam song. Traditional games, team-building exercises, and spot prizes were enjoyed by all, fostering togetherness and celebrating our rich traditions.
The evening also featured delightful dance performances by the community's children and an impressive rendition of ‘Chotti se Asha’ by the talented duo Tiara and Tristan. Later, the Teen band featuring Francesca Colaco, Janice Sequeira, Luke Colaco and Elroi Concesso entertained the gathering with popular Konkani songs. A lively and entertaining dance was put up by:
1. Dance by Jazz Juniors – Adam Monteiro, Triston D'Cunha, Shawnel Lewis, Deanne Serra, Tiara Dcunha and Alansha Pinto
2. Dance by Dancing Divas – Siona Saldanha and Nia Saldanha
3. Dance by Young Waves – Crystal Pereira and Janice Sequeira
4. Dance by Queen Bees – Rinet and Sam Menezes, Reshma and Steevan Pereira, Hendrita and Prem Colaco, Reshma and Wilson Fernandes, Shaveena and Selvin Lewis, Sunita Furtado and Stino Pinto.
Throughout the event, photographer Joachim diligently captured the special moments, preserving the joy and camaraderie shared. DJ Loveline kept the atmosphere vibrant with his musical selections, highlighting the musical talent within our community. The celebration culminated in a delicious buffet dinner featuring the traditional bafat, prepared by Juliana D’Souza, Mamta and Loyd D’Cunha, assisted by current and former executive committee members and served by Princess Cloud Kitchen, offering an authentic taste of Mangalurean cuisine. It was the perfect ending to an evening filled with laughter, music, and community spirit, leaving everyone with cherished memories.
A grateful acknowledgement to generous sponsors
Sunil D’Souza
Randolph Mendonca
Valerian & Precilla Mathias
Felix D’Cunha
Hansel Barboza
John and Joyce Gonsalves
Suresh Devadiga & Raj Kiran D’Souza
Prem Colaco
Edward Philomena and Priyanka Mendonsa
Vinod and Violet D’Costa
Lancy Saldanha
Rudoplh Vaz
Nilesh Vinod
Richard Marshal
Reshma Pinto
Malabar Gold (courtesy Philomena Mendonca)
Prahalad Kumawat