Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (MS)

Bantwal, Jul 10: ‘Thotava Nodiranna...Gurugala Aatava Nodiranna’ (see the farmland...see the game of the priest) is the song written by Saint Shishunala Sharif, social reformer of Karnataka. But in the case of Borimar St Joseph's Church near Soorikumeru, this has become literally true. Fr Gregory Pereira, parish priest of Borimar Church, which is on the threshold of celebrating its silver jubilee, has changed the picture of the church in the last one year through agricultural revolution.

Till last year, there were only Rubber trees in the land that belonged to the church. Fr Gregory, who was deputed as the parish priest on June 3, 2018 decided to turn this into a green land. Various kinds of vegetables like Papaya, Drum sticks, spinach, sweet potato and pumpkin adore the land around the church now. In addition cashew trees are also coming up in the property of the church, which is making this a source of income also.

The parish priest, who took a vow to do organic farming in the four acres of land that belongs to the church, removed all the rubber trees and started farming Papaya. In addition, other root vegetables like pumpkin, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin were also started sprouting on the land. Now there are more than 100 plants of Papaya, 120 trees of Drum Sticks and more than 1000 plants of Yam, which have increased the beauty of the surroundings of the church. This year 160 Cashew plants are planted newly and the parish priest has the intention of widening the agriculture farming further.

Now Fr Gregory Pereira is called as 'Papayi Father' by all the parishioners. His interest in farming and agriculture increased the awareness and love of the parishioners towards agriculture. This priest is not limited to offering masses alone. Fr Gregory is known to have made green revolution in all the churches where he has served as a priest in the past also.

Fr Gregory Pereira was born on November 17, 1953 in an agricultural family of Meremajalu village. He was ordained in 1981. Then he served two years in Modankap church, seven years in Narampady church, seven years in Venur church, 14 years in Belve Estate church of Udupi and seven years at Allipade church. In total he has served as a priest for 37 years now. He is serving as the 25th priest of the Borimar church from June 18, 2018, which is on the verge of celebrating silver jubilee.

Fr Gregory was known as 'Kumbalakayi Father' in Narampadi Church and 'Adike Father' in Belve according to the stress he gave on growing pumpkin and arecanut respectively in these church properties.

Fr Gregory, who offers masses and conducts all activities related to the church, gets down to work in the farm during his leisure time. Like Cassock, while offering the mass, Fr Gregory has his own type of dress while working in the farm. He believes that the work of agriculture is as sacred as that of work of God. Fr Gregory works with mud, fertilizer along with farm labourers Franky D'Souza, Babanna, Prakash, Sesappa, Irene, Lalita, Chinnamma, Pramod, Vinod and Mohan.

The organic vegetables grown in the Borimar church compound have great demand. There are local customers for Papaya, Sweet Potato, Yam, Spinach and Pumpkin. In addition, these agricultural products are also sold to Fr Muller's hospital of Mangaluru, Jeppu Seminary and main office of Bajjodi Christian educational institutions. As these vegetables are sold at a cheaper price than the market and also for the fact that they are produced through organic farming, they are in great demand. In addition, these vegetables are used to prepare free breakfast for primary to PUC students who attend Catechism classes on Sunday after the mass.

The church has made a profit of more than one and a half lac in the past one year due to organic farming. The parish council committee is also supporting the pro-society work of the parish priest. The parishioners have high respect and regards for Fr Gregory for his magic of agriculture farming, which has not only turned the church surroundings in to lush green area but also has brought considerable revenue to the church.

Roshan Boniface Martis, vice-president of parish council says, "It is our good luck that the Bishop of Mangaluru diocese has appointed a creative priest like Fr Gregory Pereira to our church, which is on the verge of celebrating silver jubilee. All the parishioners and parish council members are giving our whole-hearted support to all his work."