Udupi: Brother-Sister Duo: Fr. Joseph Mathias SJ and Sr. Fabiola (BS) celebrate Golden Jubile

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/Shirva, 28 Jun 2014: Fr. Joseph Mathais S.J. and his elder sister- Sr. Fabiola(BS) celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their religious life on Saturday 28 June 2014 with thanksgiving mass in Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva at 10.30 am followed by felicitation function in Saude Hall at 12 noon.

 

The thanksgiving mass concelebrated by Fr. Joseph Mathais SJ was attended by the Bishop of Udupi Diocese-Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Vicar General Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Rev. Fr. Valerian Mendonca, Chancellor of Udupi Diocese and Parish Priest of Barkur, Rev. Fr. Anil D’Souza-Dean of Kundapur Varado, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro-Parish Priest of Shirva and other guest priests. The liturgy of the mass was animated by the members of the family of the jubilarians.

 

 

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Roque D’Sa highlighted the sense of sacrifice and dedicated religious life that the religious have to lead committing themselves completely to  the love of God and service of the people. In this respect he said that both brother and sister-Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola should be contented that they have earnestly lived according to the vows of their religious life and it was the right occasion to give thanks to God for the gift of the religious vocation.

 

During the mass, the grand nephew of Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola-Kevin Mendonca received First Holy Communion from the hands of Fr. Joseph Mathias.

 

 

At the end of the mass, Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo in his brief address complimented both Fr. Joseph Mathias and Sr. Fabiola on the occasion of the  completion of the fifty years of their religious life and recalled his association with the Mathias family when he had served as the assistant parish priest in Shirva.

 

On behalf of himself and the Diocese of Udupi, Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo felicitated both Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola by offering them shawls and garlands.

 

Fr. Joseph Mathias thanked the Bishop for his presence during the thanksgiving mass and also for honouring him and his sister.

 

The felicitation function was held in the Saude Bhavan at 12 noon. Fr. Joseph Mathias SJ, Sr. Fabiola(BS), Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro, Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis-Rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore, Sr. Lillys-Assistant Superior General of the Bethany Sisters, Rev. Fr Francis Menezes S.J., Felix Mathias-eldest brother of Fr. Joseph and Kevin were on the dais.

 

Following the welcome dance by Kumari Swapna, Peter Mathias-brother of Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola welcomed the guests and the gathering. Thereafter the Golden Jubilee cake was cut by the jubilarians.

 

Raising the toast in honour of Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola, Rev. Fr. Valerian Mendonca, a native of Shirva  narrated briefly the background of the Mathias family and highlighted the religious service rendered by both Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola in their respective religious congregations.

 

The family members honoured the jubilarians by offering both of them a huge garland and also later singing a felicitation song.

 

In her message, Sr. Lillys-Assistant Superior General of the Bethany Sisters, speaking in Konkani greatly appreciated the contribution of Sr. Fabiola to the Bethany Congregation by her dedicated service as a teacher, headmistress and serving in Rome, Germany and France and said that Sr. Fabiola is the “Crown and Joy of Bethany Sisters.”

 

 

Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis in his felicitation oration emphasised on the great work that Fr. Joseph Mathias has been doing as a counsellor of the clergy and religious. He said that the church in India and even abroad has benefitted greatly by his innovative ways of training the seminarians and the religious. Fr. Joseph Martis highlighted three great qualities of Fr. Joseph Mathias-humility, intelligence and great insight and ever-smiling.

 

On behalf of the Shirva parishioners, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro congratulated both Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of their religious life and honoured them with flower bouquets.

 

In his reply to the felicitation, Fr. Joseph Mathias with great humility said that he was greatly inspired to join the Jesuit Order after reading about the life and work of the Belgian Missionary-Fr. Constant Lievens known as the ‘Apostle of Chotanagpur’ who tirelessly worked for the socio-economic betterment of the tribal people of Jarkhand and Chattisgarh. He also said that while he was a young boy the spiritual life and good example of both parish priests and assistant parish priests greatly inspired him to choose the religious life. He further said that whatever he has done in the field of training and counselling the seminarians and religious, it was the work guided by God and he was just an instrument of His.

 

Sr. Fabiola expressed her gratitude  to all on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of herself and her brother. Lawrence Mathias, another brother of Fr. Joseph and Sr. Fabiola proposed the formal vote of thanks.

 

The felicitation programme was anchored by Rev. Fr. Anil D’Souza-Dean of Kundapur Varado who also happens to be the a native of Shirva and a close friend and well-wisher of the Mathias family. His compeering interspersed with witty anecdotes made the entire function very lively.

 

About Sr. Fabiola (BS):

 

 

Born on 28 January 1945 as the fourth child among 12 children of late Fabian and late Mary Mathias(Fr. Joseph being the fifth), Sr. Fabiola had her education up to PUC in Shirva and joined Bethany Sisters in 1962 and did her novitiate in 1963 making her first profession in 1964 and final profession in 1970.

Sr. Fabiola did her BA from Dharawad University and Teachers Training Course in Rosa Mystica Training School, Gurpur. She served as a teacher in the Church Aided Higher Primary School, Moodubelle for four years and in Basrur for four years. She also served as the Headmistress in Bendur School for three years.

 

 Sr. Fabiola with Pope St. John Paul II

 

In 1975, Sr. Fabiola was deputed to Rome as the Superior at Casa Domitilla. While in Rome she had an opportunity to meet Pope St. John Paul II. In 1983, Sr. Fabiola went to Germany as administrator with the main mission of nursing in the Home for the aged in Aachen Diocese. From there she was sent to France for pastoral service in the Bethany Convent at Sarcelles.
Sr. Fabiola came back to India in 2009 and since then she has been serving in the Bethany Mother House Community, Bendur and working in the Generalate Procurator’s Office.

 

Also Read:

• Fr. Joseph Mathias S.J. - Pioneer in Integral Human Formation for Clergy and Religious