IIPP to award 'Outstanding Community Leaders of Mangaluru 2018’ to Fr. Willie
Mangaluru, August 14: In recognition for his dedicated service to the community, Fr. William Menezes has been nominated for the `Outstanding Community Leaders of Mangaluru 2018’ Award by the International Institute for Public Policy (IIPP), an international organization based in Mangaluru for the cause of policy implementation for public good.
The announcement of the awards is made on the eve of Independence Day every yearby Max and Jessie Rasquinha, Houston/Dallas, Texas, USA, the founders of International Orientation Centre and International Institute for Public Policy. They cherish Mangaluru as their beloved `Home Sweet Home’ even after over sixty years of their leaving Mangaluru.
“We have observed the performance of Fr.Willie Menezes with an overwhelming joy for all that he has rendered at the Bishop’s House over the past ten years as a Public Relations Officer and the Estate Manager. Fr. Willie has now been transferred as a Parish Priest of Guardian Angel Church, Nagori, Mangaluru, and we wish him well in his new position at a prestigious Parish. He will be a “success story wherever he goes”, stated a press release from Max Rasquinha from the United States of America.
The ‘Outstanding Community Award’ will be presented officially during the visit of the Rasquinha family to their hometown later this year. Max and Jessie Rasquinha are keen followers of all developments that are taking place in Mangaluru. All the dignitaries who are dedicating their talents and efforts for our community and our society are always been noted and admired for future recognitions. Former Bishop of Mangaluru Rev. Aloysius D’Souza, eminent singer and composer Wilfy Rebimbos, former Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, founder of Daijiworld Walter Nandalike, Rev. Mnsgr. Fred Pereira, social work educationist and activist Dr. Olinda Pereira, late Rev. Fr. Ronnie Prabhu SJ, Sachitha Nandagopal, Joe Gonzalvas, Sr. Shruthi and James Serrao are among those who have received the `Outstanding Community Leaders’ Award in the past.
Fr. William Manezes Fr. Willie was born at Venur in 1958 as the first child of Ligouri and Benedicta Menezes. He was the eldest among six children. After his high school at Venur, Fr.Willie did his PUC at St. Aloysius College, and then he joined the Jeppu Seminary for Priesthood. Along with his priesthood, he has completed his college studies and philosophy under the Mysore University. He served as an assistant Parish Priest in Buntwal for one year and thereafter, he served as a Parish Priest in Padukone for 7 years and Kolalgiri for 4 years. As a Priest, Fr. Willie did his MA in history from the Dharwad University and LLB from Mangalore University. Then he served as an Administrator of the Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institution for 8 years. After this, he has served as a public relation officer and estate manager for ten years at the Bishop's’ House in Mangaluru.
After several decades of service in various capacities, Fr. Willie is now assigned as a Parish Priest of Angelore Parish where he will utilize all his past leadership skills to the best possible advantage of Nagori Church. As a PRO and estate manager of Mangalore Diocese, Fr. Willie was able to establish a good rapport with the political leaders, bureaucrats, police department and also various government officials and the media. He was also instrumental in organizing a media Christmas every year, and also a Xmas get-together for the dignitaries of the district hosted by the Bishop of Mangalore.
As the estate manager, Fr. Willie was able to settle hundreds of property disputes. He also updated property records of the Mangalore Diocese. Under his leadership, 24 flats were constructed in Talapady, Mariashram for the poorest of the poor of the society and St. JuzeVaz, a home for the retired priests of the Diocese of Mangalore which has won the prestigious award as the best building among the districts of south canara, Udupi,Shivamogga and Chikmagaluru.
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Indian-origin man among 4 killed in temple collapse in South Africa
Johannesburg (PTI): A 52-year-old Indian-origin man is among four people killed after a four-storey Hindu temple under construction collapsed in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, officials have said.
The New Ahobilam Temple of Protection, situated on a steep hill in Redcliffe in north of eThekwini (formerly Durban), was being expanded when a section of the building gave way on Friday while workers were on site.
The exact number of workers and temple officials believed to be trapped beneath tonnes of rubble is unknown.
While two people, a construction worker and a devotee, were confirmed dead on Friday, the death toll rose to four on Saturday after rescue teams recovered more bodies.
Of the four deceased, one has been identified as Vickey Jairaj Panday, an executive member of the temple trust and manager of the construction project, local media reported, quoting officials.
Panday had been deeply involved in the development of the temple since its inception nearly two years ago, the reports said.
Sanvir Maharaj, director of Food for Love, a charity affiliated to the temple, also confirmed that Panday was among those who had died.
Rescue workers, who spent two days trying to recover a fifth body that had been located, had to suspend operations on Saturday afternoon due to inclement weather, Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram told local media.
“At this stage, it cannot be confirmed whether additional individuals remain trapped beneath the rubble,” he said.
The temple was designed to resemble a cave, using rocks brought from India and excavated on site, and the family building the structure had claimed that it would house one of the world's largest deities of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
The eThekwini municipality, in a statement, said no building plans had been approved for the project, suggesting the construction was illegal.
Initial rescue efforts had been guided by cellphone calls from one of the trapped persons, but communications ceased late Friday evening, officials said.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thulasizwe Buthelezi visited the site on Saturday and pledged that rescue operations would continue for as long as necessary, even as experts noted that there was little hope of finding more survivors.
Buthelezi expressed gratitude to the combined government and private teams involved in the search and rescue operation, including a special dog unit from the Western Cape.
