Kerala marks Christmas with prayers, voices concern over attacks elsewhere
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala marked Christmas on Thursday with joy and solemn prayers, as churches across the state saw large gatherings of worshippers.
Special prayers began on Wednesday evening and concluded with midnight masses. Thousands of faithful attended services in churches across the state, marking one of the most important days in the Christian calendar.
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The head of the Syro-Malabar Church Raphael Thattil led Christmas prayers at Mount St Thomas in Kakkanad, Kochi.
Addressing the faithful, Thattil said life would bring many challenges, but people should find strength by turning to Christ, who was born in a humble manger. He said faith gives the courage to rise above difficulties.
He added that Christmas opens new doors of hope and possibilities, and that the festival should inspire people to move forward with renewed faith, guided by the light of the Christmas star.
The celebrations, however, were held amid growing concern over reports of attacks on Christians and Christmas events in different parts of the country. The Major Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church Cardinal Baselios Cleemis described the situation, where believers are allegedly forced to live in fear in several regions, as extremely serious.
He reminded people that Christmas is a day of hope and joy, and said believers should be able to celebrate freely without fear.
He also said there were deliberate attempts to reduce the importance of Christmas, but stressed that the message of Christ could never be erased from the land.
Calling for peace, he urged people to pray for those spreading hatred and appealed to those in power to govern with justice and a sense of responsibility.
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Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University, Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ passes away at 63
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Mangaluru: Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), breathed his last on Friday, April 10. He was 63.
Born in 1963, Fr Melwin Pinto completed his schooling and college education at St Aloysius before joining the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest on April 14, 1997.
Over the years, he held several academic qualifications, including an MA in English, a Master’s degree in Education, and diplomas in psychology and counselling as well as school administration.
He began his career in education as headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan, serving between 1996 and 1999.
He later founded St Joseph’s Indian PU College and served as its principal until 2007. He subsequently served as headmaster of St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011, and later as principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Hassan, until 2012.
Fr Melwin Pinto also worked with Vatican Communications and Radio in Rome, contributing to its English desk for Asia and Indian languages.
He later served as superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia for two years from May 2017, before being appointed as superior of the Jesuit study home ‘Vidyaniketan’ in Dharwad.
He was also closely associated with the development of St Aloysius Institutions and played a key role in securing the status of a Deemed-to-be University. His contribution to the education sector and efforts towards innovation were widely acknowledged. He was known for maintaining close relations with people from all sections of society.
Legislative Council MLA Ivan D’Souza, in a statement, said the demise of Fr Melwin J Pinto was a huge loss to the educational and religious fields and had created a significant void in society.
Dakshina Kannada District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also expressed grief, stating that his service and contributions to education would always be remembered.
Details regarding the funeral are yet to be announced.
