Media Release
Mangaluru, Feb 24: A heart-warming Valentine’s Day celebration unfolded in the coastal city as several golden and diamond jubilarian couples were felicitated at a heritage-themed gathering held on private premises in Mangaluru. The event, which brought together distinguished members of the Mangalorean Catholic community, marked marriages spanning over five decades, celebrating enduring commitment, family legacy and shared history.
The organiser, making his first submission to the forum this month, noted that the initial weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day were spent personally visiting the residences of identified 'golden couples' from his genealogical database and preparing for the event. In the days following the February 14 function, he attended to post-event responsibilities, including logistical arrangements and correspondence.
Though the forum primarily serves as a platform for academic debate, it has also been used to share cultural news, book launches and tributes. The Valentine’s Day felicitation programme was presented as one such cultural report. The organiser recalled having conducted a similar function two decades ago during his tenure as Secretary of the Catholic Association of South Kanara, when a Latin Mass was celebrated at St Aloysius Chapel, followed by a felicitation ceremony. He had then introduced each couple with detailed recollections of wedding dates, ancestry and personal achievements.
Reflecting on personal setbacks in recent years including the vandalism of ancestral tombstones at Milagres Church in 2022 and the passing of his brother Patrick the following year he observed that despite diminished strength, the recent function was a reasonable success. Among those felicitated were Captain Hugh Vas and Allen Pereira, along with their spouses.
The entire programme was conducted within the organiser’s premises, with an exhibition of vintage wedding photographs serving as a backdrop.
Prayer service and choir performance
The event commenced with a prayer service led by Fr Norman Mathias, assistant parish priest of Bejai parish. The service featured traditional Latin liturgical hymns including the Kyrie Eleison, Pater Noster and Laudate Dominum, rendered in Gregorian chant style by the church choir. Present were choirmaster Ivan Mascarenhas, Lovina Pinto (widow of professor Bennett Pinto), and keyboardist Aleena Rodrigues of Bejay parish.
Following the choir’s rendition, the organiser introduced each couple in chronological order of their wedding dates. The seniormost couple, William Henry Rego and Merlyn Philomena (née Pinto), married during the Christmas season of 1961–62, were unable to attend due to health reasons. Their daughter Yvette represented them on stage and presented each couple with a copy of a commemorative book authored by the organiser as part of a trilogy marking the bicentennial of the release of Mangalorean Catholics from the Seringapatam captivity.
The book had been considered for nomination to the Sahitya Academy Award; however, the sudden demise of professor Bennett Pinto, a member of the Academy, halted the nomination process.
Albuquerque
The Albuquerque family has held prominence in Mangalore since Alex Albuquerque (1841–1912) founded the city’s first Catholic-owned tile factory in 1868. The enterprise later passed to Felix Albuquerque and subsequently to Cyril Albuquerque. Cyril’s wife Octavia was a respected public figure and former Vice-Chairman of the Mangalore Municipality.
On May 17, 1970, sisters Moira and Dorothy Albuquerque were married in a double wedding — Moira to Benedict Alva and Dorothy to Captain Hugh Vas. Moira and Benedict spent their lives in the United States and celebrated their golden wedding in 2020; Benedict passed away two years later. Dorothy and Hugh travelled globally during Hugh’s Merchant Navy career and are now settled in Mangaluru.
Aloysius (Loy) Albuquerque married Rosemary Mathias on December 27, 1973. They manage “Summer Sands,” a well-known seaside resort on the West Coast. The siblings and spouses were felicitated at the event.
Castelino / D’Silva
The Castelino and D’Silva families were leading families of Cordel (Kulshekar). Dr Mohan Prabhu of Ottawa traces his lineage to the Castelino family.
Pius Castelino, the first Catholic Mayor of Mangalore after its elevation to City Corporation status, was felicitated alongside his wife Jessie (née Rebello). Married on December 28, 1964 at Milagres Church, they have completed 61 years of marriage. His sister Carmelita and her husband Aloysius (Loy) D’Silva, married on May 1, 1975, were also honoured. After years in Qatar, they have returned to Kulshekar.
D’Costa
Richard D’Costa, one of 13 children of Francis and Alice D’Costa of Urwa, married Teresa (née Mascarenhas) on April 29, 1974 at Milagres Church. They reside in their family home in Urwa. Their daughter Donna, a first-rank BCom graduate and chartered accountant, is settled in the United States.
D’Souza
Gilbert and Violet D’Souza (née Rodrigues) were married at Puttur on November 9, 1975. Gilbert is the senior partner among the well-known “Souza brothers,” entrepreneurs in cashew processing and travel sectors.
Dr Marcia D’Souza married Dr Jerome Pinto on August 12, 1971, while her sister Winnie married Austin D’Souza on January 7, 1974. Their mother Christine D’Souza, aged 101, is regarded as matriarch of a distinguished family of medical professionals.
Christine, widowed in 1954 at a young age, raised four children — Marcie, Winifred, Nancy and Sydney — all of whom went on to establish notable careers. Several grandchildren and extended family members are doctors and professionals across India and abroad.
Pais
Captain Vincent Pais, son of Joseph Pais and Christine Miranda of Urwa, married Jennifer Rosanna D’Souza on December 30, 1975. A retired Merchant Navy Captain and former President (2020–2024) of the Catholic Association of South Kanara, Vincent was felicitated alongside Jennifer, who hails from the Cochin Anglo-Indian community.
Pereira
Allen Pereira and Eveline (née D’Silva), married on May 22, 1977 at Milagres Church, were among the couples in the 45–50 years category invited to join the felicitation. Allen, from the Pereira Kamath family of Bajpe, had a distinguished banking career with Syndicate Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and retired as Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Maharashtra.
Rebello
Stany Rebello and Jane (née Martis), married October 25, 1965 at Milagres Church, have completed 60 years of marriage. Coffee planters by profession, they are parents to five children. Their eldest daughter Asha is married to John Robert “Joe” Colaco, brother of philanthropist Ronald Colaco.
Saldanha
Jerome Saldanha of the Saldanha Prabhu family of Omzoor married Mercy Menezes on January 26, 1978 at Milagres Church. After years in Sharjah’s printing industry, Jerome returned to Mangaluru and is engaged in land development projects. They have three children — Jason, Melroy and Jacqueline Rose.
Sequeira
Brothers Gregory and Felix Sequeira, sons of Casimir Sequeira and Dulcine Saldanha, were felicitated with their spouses.
Gregory married Juliana Tauro on October 26, 1964 at Cordel Church and later worked in Bombay with Tata Tea. Felix married Maxina D’Souza on November 28, 1970 in Manama, Bahrain. Both families are now settled in Urwa.
Xavier Educational Trust
Founders of the Xavier Educational Trust — Jerome J.V. Fernandes, Michael Mascarenhas and Frank Martin Lobo — were honoured with their spouses. The Trust, established in 1984, runs the Xavier Industrial Training Institute in Mangaluru.
Jerome married Renilda Pais on May 14, 1967; Michael married Alice Pinto on June 2, 1969; and Frank married Irene Miranda on May 4, 1975. Frank, now 94, continues to play the violin with remarkable charm.
Acknowledgements
The organiser expressed gratitude to William Pais for logistical support and photography, to John Gregory Saldanha for arrangements assistance, and to Yvette Rego and Sarita D’Souza for presenting commemorative books. Appreciation was also extended to Kamini and Anjali Gonsalves, daughters of Barbara Gonsalves, for their gracious participation.
A second instalment detailing additional couples and ancestral stories tracing back to the Seringapatam captivity period (1784–1799) is expected to follow.
Mangaluru: Epicentre of a resilient community
In the year 2000, when the organiser released his trilogy on Mangalorean history, one of the volumes opened with a reflection that while Mangalore may appear to the wider world as an insignificant coastal town, it is in fact the epicentre of a community rich in history and culture. Two centuries ago, the community narrowly escaped extinction during the Seringapatam captivity (1784–1799), and present-day descendants scattered across the globe owe their existence to the small group of survivors who returned home.
Virtually all the golden couples honoured at the Valentine’s Day function trace their lineage to survivors of the Seringapatam captivity. Interestingly, William Rego, the seniormost among the golden grooms, descends from a family believed to have been spared the captivity — possibly because Tippu Sultan required their services in Mangalore. Certain Catholic families were reportedly exempted as their agricultural expertise could not be replicated.
Though Tippu destroyed nearly all Christian churches in and around Mangalore, he appears to have turned a blind eye when Pedru Rego constructed a chapel in Derebail in 1792.
The Rego family owned extensive lands in Derebail. In 1939, Sylvester Rego, great-great grandson of Pedru Rego, donated the land on which the present parish church of Derebail stands. William Rego is a grandson of Sylvester’s brother.
William’s wife Merlyn descends from the Pinto Kamath and Gonsalves Prabhu families of Codialbail. Her great-grandfather Paul Pinto later settled in Puttur as a government administrator.
The Gonsalves Lineage and Seringapatam Survivor
The Gonsalves lineage traces back to the 18th century, to Nicholas Gonsalves, remembered in family lore as such a commanding personality that the parish priest of Milagres Church would not commence Mass until his arrival, signalled by a gunshot.
Nicholas’s son Pascal (born 1769) was among the 60,000 Catholics taken captive to Seringapatam in 1784. He survived the 15-year ordeal and was among the 15,000 who returned in 1799. Family chronicles recount a touching reunion with his aged mother.
Pascal’s youngest son Peregrin Gonsalves (1812–1883) and his wife Anna (née Saldanha) had seven children, including Nicholas John Pascal Gonsalves (1857–1915). Nicholas and his wife Sabina (née Saldanha) had ten children. Sabina outlived her husband by over 60 years, passing away in 1978 at the age of 102.
Two ladies honoured at the function are directly connected to this lineage. Merlyn Rego, granddaughter of Nicholas and Sabina, could not attend. However, Barbara Gonsalves, granddaughter-in-law, graced the podium with her twin daughters Kamini and Anjali. Yvette Rego, daughter of William and Merlyn, presented commemorative books to the couples.
Barbara and her late husband Irwin Gonsalves were married at Milagres Church on 27 December 1962 and had celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage at the time of Irwin’s death in 2021.
Odette Nazareth: Saldanha Shet legacy
Another ‘golden widow’ honoured was Odette Nazareth (née Saldanha), a descendant of AJ Saldanha (1815–1872), founder of the coffee-curing firm AJ Saldanha & Sons (1848), said to have been the first of its kind in Asia. Her maternal grandparents Piedade Francis Xavier Vas and Helen (née Saldanha) were prominent parishioners of Milagres Church; their tombstones were among those destroyed on July 21, 2022.
Odette married Claude Nazareth, a district judge and former president of the Consumer Board at Gulbarga, on October 2, 1968 at St Patrick’s, Bangalore. They celebrated their golden wedding before Claude’s death in 2021. They had one daughter, Preeti, married to Vinod Aranha.
Renilda Fernandes and Frank Martin Lobo
Renilda Fernandes (née Pais), married to Jerome J.V. Fernandes on May 14, 1967 at Fatima Cathedral, Belgaum, was honoured in her husband’s absence. They have three children — Myola, Joel and Andrea.
Frank Martin Lobo, aged 94, also received the commemorative book in the absence of his wife Irene due to health issues. A violinist of distinction, he had played “Nearer, My God to Thee” at the organiser’s brother’s funeral in 2023. Frank delivered an impromptu speech at the function.
Albert Jossy Rego, who had completed 60 years of marriage before his wife Celine’s passing in 2024, also addressed the gathering.
Salvador Castelino and Philip D’Souza: Bonds forged in captivity
The write-up revisited historical anecdotes of inter-family unions among Seringapatam survivors.
Philip ‘Apuli’ D’Souza and Salvador ‘Salop’ Castelino, both captives, returned to Cordel and married sisters from the Silva family. Their descendants continued close ties.
Aloysius (Loy) D’Silva and Carmelita (née Castelino), honoured at the function, are fifth-generation descendants of Salvador Castelino. Their son Lenor, a banker in Chicago, married Priya D’Souza of the famed PG clan of Bangalore — reconnecting two family lines after two centuries.
Domingo Lobo and Domingo Vas
Two other captives, Domingo Lobo and Domingo Vas, saw their children intermarry a generation later.
Edgar Sylva and Mariette (née Lobo), married December 29, 1969 at Milagres Church, were honoured as Emerald Jubilarians (56 years). Mariette descends from Antony Lobo and Natalia (née Vas). Edgar’s grandmother Letitia was descended from Pedru Vas and Lucia (née Lobo).
Edgar had a distinguished maritime career, later founding ‘Olympic Maritime’. He served as President of the KCA, Bombay during its centenary year. The couple have three children and are settled in Bondel.
Aranha Shenoy family of Mulki
Patricia Mathias (née Aranha), of the ancient Aranha Shenoy family of Mulki — tracing back to Anthony Aranha (born c.1710) — was honoured with her husband Dr Anthony Mathias, married November 19, 1974 at Milagres Church. They have four children — Sarah, Shawn, Steve and Shane.
Patricia’s sister Philomena (Meena) and husband Richard D’Souza of Bangalore will soon complete 57 years of marriage.
Francis Xavier Shiam Rikh and the Coelho Connection
Shiam Rikh, born 1856, eldest son of the Raja of Tajpur (present-day Uttar Pradesh), converted to Christianity in 1888 and adopted the name Francis Xavier. Awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal and Knighthood of the Grand Order of St Gregory the Great, he married Margaret Coelho of the aristocratic Codialbail Coelho family at Milagres Church on February 8, 1905.
Margaret was sister of Lily Sequeira (née Coelho), whose granddaughter Pearline Saldanha (née D’Souza) was honoured at the function alongside her husband Edwin Saldanha. Married October 25, 1965 at St Vincent Church, Valencia, Edwin and Pearline spent many years in Kuwait before settling in Shivabagh, Mangaluru.
Archie and Dr Thelma Sequeira
Archie Sequeira and Dr Thelma (née Pinto), married May 14, 1970 at Milagres Church, were also felicitated. Archie, an IAS qualifier who chose a corporate career with Johnson & Johnson, is a Commonwealth Bridge Champion (Melbourne, 2006).
Dr Thelma served with the Bombay Municipal Corporation’s Public Health Department and specialized in AIDS prevention education. Their son Sachin, a naval officer, was awarded the Shaurya Chakra in 2021 while commanding INS Kochi.
Thelma’s paternal grandmother Ignatia was sister to Henry John Paul Saldanha, connecting her to Daphne Gonzalvez of Sydney and to the Coelho lineage.
Harold and Cheryl Saldanha
Harold Saldanha and Cheryl (née Gonsalves), married May 22, 1973 at Milagres Church, were also honoured. Harold’s grandfather P.F.X. Saldanha was a pioneer coffee-curer, municipal councillor and member of the Madras Legislative Council.
Cheryl’s father Joseph Gonsalves was a respected educationist and forum member until his passing in 2021 at age 99.
A vintage photograph of Harold’s aunt Adele’s 1912 wedding to Antony Denis Coelho was also shared, linking generations of golden jubilees.
A tribute to Dr Abundius D’Abreu and Lucy D’Souza
The write-up invited Dr Allyson Pollock of Edinburgh to share memories of her grandparents, Dr Abundius D’Abreu and Lucy D’Souza, married November 27, 1913 at Rosario Cathedral, Mangalore. Lucy lived to 113 years and 6 months, becoming the oldest person in the United Kingdom at the time of her death in 2005.
Conclusion
The report concluded with an image of the illuminated gathering and a glimpse of the organiser’s museum of restored tombstones — a deeply personal and emotional project to be detailed in a future write-up.
The Valentine Gold celebration thus emerged not merely as a felicitation ceremony but as a living chronicle of Mangalorean Catholic heritage — intertwining personal milestones with the enduring legacy of a community shaped by faith, resilience and history.