St Lawrence Church & Shrine, Bondel Organises Swachhta Abhiyana Ahead of Annual Feast

Mangaluru, July 25: As part of the preparations for the Annual Feast of St Lawrence, the Environment Commission, Labour Commission, and Social Development Commission of St Lawrence Church & Shrine, Bondel, jointly organised a Swachhta Abhiyana (Cleanliness Campaign) on Saturday morning, fostering community participation and environmental responsibility.

The programme commenced at 7.30 a.m. with a prayer hymn led by Mrs. Jasmine D’Souza and team, followed by the inaugural prayer by Rev. Fr. Lawrence Cutinha, Assistant Parish Priest. Mr. Felix Monteiro, Convener of the Labour Commission, welcomed the gathering. As a gesture of appreciation, the dignitaries were presented with flower saplings by members of the Catholic Sabha, Bondel Unit.

The dignitaries present included Rev. Fr. Lawrence Cutinha, Assistant Parish Priest; Shri Prashant Pai, Temple Administrator, Shri Venkataramana Temple, Padavinangady; Shri Sandeep, President, Padavinangady Sarvajanika Ganeshotsava Committee; Smt. Sujatha Marl, President, Ward Citizens’ Forum, Padavinangady; Mr. Jeeth Roche, Secretary, Vana Charitable Trust; Mr. John D’Silva, Vice-President, Parish Pastoral Council; Mr. Alwyn Saldanha, Secretary, Parish Pastoral Council; Mr. Jason Fernandes, Convener, St Lawrence Shrine Committee; Mrs. Avitha Mascarenhas, Commission Coordinator; Mr. Anil Menezes, President, Congress, Pachhanady Ward; Mrs. Lucy Pinto, Convener, Social Development Commission; Mr. Steven D’Silva, Convener, Environment Commission; Mrs. Pooja Pai, District Vice-President, Mahila Morcha; and Mrs. Relina Saldanha, Coordinator, MV Shetty Nursing College.

Speaking on behalf of the guests, Mr. Jeeth Roche stressed the importance of protecting the environment through proper waste segregation. He explained that the effective segregation of dry, wet, hazardous, and electronic waste is essential to addressing Mangaluru’s waste management challenges and urged citizens to work together towards building a cleaner, greener, and healthier city.

Presiding over the programme, Rev. Fr. Basil Vas, Parish Priest and Shrine Rector, thanked the dignitaries, commission conveners, volunteers, and parishioners for their wholehearted participation. He described the cleanliness campaign as a noble initiative that promotes not only a healthy environment but also inner peace and social responsibility. He said that caring for God’s creation through selfless service is a meaningful expression of faith and a source of joy and blessing for the community.

Students of MV Shetty Nursing College actively participated in the campaign. Before the cleaning drive commenced, Mrs. Avitha Mascarenhas briefed the volunteers on safety measures, following which gloves and other protective equipment were distributed to all participants.

The cleanliness campaign was formally flagged off by Shri Prashant Pai, after which the dignitaries and volunteers jointly undertook the cleaning of the church premises in preparation for the Annual Feast.

Mrs. Lucy Pinto proposed the vote of thanks, while Mrs. Jasmine D’Souza compered the programme.

The campaign witnessed enthusiastic participation from parishioners of all age groups, reflecting their unity and commitment to maintaining a clean and welcoming environment for the thousands of devotees expected to visit the shrine during the Annual Feast. Refreshments were served to all participants through the sponsorship of Mr. Steven D’Silva, Convener of the Environment Commission, in association with the Catholic Sabha, Bondel Unit.

The organising committee expressed gratitude to all the volunteers, dignitaries, students, organisations, and parishioners whose wholehearted support contributed to the success of the Swachhta Abhiyana.

Report & Photographs: Meena Serrao Barboza