International Womens Day Centenary Special: Meera Lobo - A woman of Substance

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 08 March 2011: The celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March 2011 marks the centenary of one of the most significant movements in human history. Though the IWD  was first declared in 1910, the first event associated with  IWD was held in 1911. Thus, 2011 sees 100 years of International Women’s Day having been celebrated around the world.  The International Women’s Day Centenary should make the women of past proud, the women of current inspired, and the women of the future envisioned. Women have made great strides in equality yet there is still a great deal to be achieved on many fronts and the 2011 IWD Centenary will provide a unique and global opportunity to reignite, inspire and channel women’s equality for the future.

 

On the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the International Women’s Day, it would be appropriate to recall the contribution of Meera Lobo who was the Secretary of the Belle Parish Pastoral Council on the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the establishment of St. Lawrence Parish, Belle. While  Meera Lobo fulfilled her responsibilities as the Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council with utmost sincerity and efficiency, her role as a home-maker and community leader has been exemplary. She has been a role model for many women of the village who could balance their roles as housewives and social activists. In other words, Meera Lobo can be considered as a ‘woman of substance’.

 

 

A woman of substance means a woman who has strong character, is consistent, has more to her than meets the eye and has a variety of interests outside and within her home and family. She is interesting to get to know; she possesses a depth of personality and character. A  woman of substance conducts herself with patience. Even when her life, job, friends, children or husband drive her crazy, she knows that it is better to respond with patience than to react in anger. Because there is more to her life than just her friends or her job, she knows that she has hobbies and goals that she can look forward to beyond the present frustrating moments. Meera Lobo has the above qualities which justifies her being termed as ‘a woman of substance.’

 

Meera was born 15 March 1962 as the eldest daughter among seven children, four sons and three daughters of Mark and Leena Suares of St. Joseph’s Parish, Pezar near Katipalla. She had her education from first standard to tenth standard St. Joseph’s Higher Primary and High School, Pezar. She passed the SSLC examination in 1977.

 

While in school, Meera was good in sports and athletics especially in shot-put winning first position in most of the competitions. Other favourite game of Meera was throw ball in the school. Though she won medals in high school athletics competitions, she could not participate in Zonal or district level tournaments as there were no sufficient facilities and poor condition of the family deprived Meera of participating in such sporting events. Meera was also interested in acting and played a number of roles in school plays during annual days.

 

 

After completing SSLC, Meera was very keen to go for teachers training and take up the career as a teacher as a number members of her family-one maternal aunt, two maternal uncles, one paternal aunt, one cousin and even her own Godmother had been teachers and Meera was very much influenced by them. However, unfortunately Meera could not fulfil her dream of becoming a teacher as she had to spend two years of teachers training away from the home and her mother was not keep good health and being the eldest daughter in the family, Meera had to shoulder the responsibility of managing the family affairs.

 

Having lost an opportunity to become a teacher, Meera decided to take up alternate training of  short-hand and typewriting-a three years course at Katipalla which she could manage along with her responsibilities in the family. After completing the course, Meera worked for two years at Mangalore.

 

Meanwhile, Meera was an active member of the Youth Association in the Pezar parish. She was the president of this association for two year and secretary for one year. During this period the youth association did voluntary manual work to improve the surroundings of the parish and the school.

 

 

 

Meera married Francis Lobo of Edmeru, Belle in February 1982 and became a housewife working with the family in jasmine flower gardens, coconut gardens and looking after the cattle. Meera says that for quite a number of years as her husband, Francis was working for Toyota Company in Doha-Qatar, she had to look after the family comprising of parents-in-law and three children-Avith, Arvin and Alwyn. Hence, though interested in social activities she had neither time nor opportunity to get herself involved.

 

 

As the land belonging to Meera’s parents at Pezar was taken over by the MRPL, the family shifted to Chelara Padau at Mukka in 1992.

 

For the first time, Meera Lobo got an opportunity to manifest her talents and ability when the then parish priest, Fr. Charles Lewis organised inter-ward completion in various sporting and cultural events in 1997. Meera Lobo who was the representative of St. Roque II Ward  and other members participated in throw ball, tug-of-war  and skit and secured first position among 18 wards of the parish. In all these events, Meera Lobo took the leadership and she instantly came to the notice of the parishioners as a woman of substance.

 

 

Meanwhile, Meera Lobo joined  the Stree Sanghattan in the parish and became its president for a term of three years. She joined the Lioness Club of Moodubelle in 2001 and became its president for a period of two years. During this period the Stree Sanghattan and Lioness Club used to compete in  variety entertainment programmes in different places in which they usually secured first or second position. In the Vardo level throw ball competition, two teams from Belle parish had secured first and second position and Meera Lobo was adjudged as the ‘Best Throw-ball Player’ in the tournament.

 

 

Meera Lobo was elected as the vice president of the Parents-Teachers Association of St. Lawrence Composite PU College for two years from 2006 to 2008 and later president from 2008 to 2010. During this period the Golden Jubilee of St. Lawrence High School was celebrated during the last week of  December 2009 in which Meera Lobo played an active role. Along with the Old Students’ Association, the Parents-Teachers Association, a Tulu play was organised in November 2010 to raise funds for the education of the poor students. Due to the efforts of the group led by Meera Lobo and others  a considerable amount of money was collected out of which rupees one lakh were contributed to the fund for the education of the poor students.

 

In 2007, Meera Lobo was elected as the Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council and continued in this post till 27 February 2011. During her tenure as the Secretary the 75th birth anniversary of Rev. Dr. Valerian D’Souza, the then parish priest was celebrated in October 2007; the new bell tower was inaugurated and the centenary of the establishment of the Belle Parish was celebrated in which Meera Lobo played a significant role.

 

 

During the centenary year of the establishment of the Belle Parish, the statue of St. Lawrence was taken to various wards of the parish. The reception given to St. Lawrence in St. Roque II Ward was quite unique with a large number of ward members participating in the two kilometre long procession with music and the statue being carried by four young men initially and later by four elderly persons in a decorated cradle converted into a cherel. Meera Lobo as secretary of the Parish pastoral Council attended the get-together and feasts of most of the wards during this period.

 

During the Parish Day celebration on 1st November 2010 and the centenary celebrations during the first week of January 2011, Meera Lob along with the vice president-Henry Fernandes supervised the arrangements associated with the conducting of various programmes and functions including religious and cultural during this period which has been appreciated by the priests and the parishioners.

 

In spite of her popularity and ability, Meera Lobo has been reluctant to join politics as she feels that her social work should not be viewed through the glass of political affiliation by the people. Meera Lobo has been in the forefront of helping those who have been in need. She mobilised the ward members and with the support of the parish community got a house built for a poor family in the ward. She empathises with those women suffering due to alcoholism and injustice in the family. She has been advising such women how to deal with their problems with sensitivity and without causing any complications in the family relationships.

 

 

Being a jovial person, Meera Lobo does not hesitate to crack jokes during picnics or group journeys making the atmosphere lively and fun-filled. She has manifested her talents for acting by participating in various skits during the various programmes in the parish. She is a good compeer and has been conducting programmes in the wards as well in the parish. Even people from other parishes invite her to be Master of Ceremonies (MC) for their programmes. She is quite simple and straightforward in her words and deeds. Her leadership and organising capacity has been appreciated by one and all including the parish priest and other priests and sisters in the Loreto Convent.

 

Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the parish priest of Belle praising the role of Mrs. Meera Lobo as the Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council said that she manifested her maturity and  efficiency during her tenure as the Secretary. During any programme, she would meticulously make all the arrangements so that there would be no confusion during the programme. She is a good and effective compeer and would be brief and to the point without  wasting time.  Either in the parish or school-college programmes or social functions in the ward, Meera Lobo has a vision as to how the programme should be conducted. Fr. Joswey considers Meera lobo as an ideal mother and a parishioner. She has shown her maturity and leadership quality while handling a number of volatile situations without hurting anyone’s ego or allowing the situation to create any misunderstanding or quarrels. Fr. Joswey further said that Meera Lobo is a role model for the women in the parish.

 

 

 

Fr. Paul Sequeira, the principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle has high regard and appreciation of Meera Lobo who was the President of the Parents-Teachers Association. According to Fr. Paul, Meera Lobo fully supported all the activities of the high school and PU College and whole heartedly cooperated during all the programmes and functions, especially associated with the Golden Jubilee of St. Lawrence High School. Highlighting the finer qualities of mind and heart of Meera Lobo, Fr. Paul further said that Meera Lobo has great sympathy to the downtrodden and those who are suffering due to alcoholism and domestic violence and injustice. She supported the causes of many women who sought her help. She would give information to others regarding various government facilities that are available such as scholarships to the students. Meera Lobo has been working as a LIC agent since seven years.

 

 

Among the three sons of Meera and Francis Lobo, eldest-Avith after completing Mechanical Engineering in MIT Manipal is presently working for the Qatar Navigation in Doha. He is presently the Cultural Secretary of Bellevision-Qatar. Second son-Arvin is presently studying in the second year of the Mechanical Engineering course in St. Joseph’s Engineering College, Mangalore. Third son-Alwyn is studying in second year PUC in St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle. Like mother, Alwyn is also good in acting and has participated in various skits. Presently, he is the president of the Young Christian Students (YCS) in Moodubelle.

 

   
Avith, Arvin, Alwyn

 

Meera Lobo says that it would not have been possible for her to carry on managing both home and social and parish activities with the active support of the family, especially her husband Francis and sons, ward member, especially the youth and children who alswyas responded to her requests for anything from acting to participating in sports, parish priests, especially Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Fr. Paul Sequeira, principal of St. Lawrence Composite College, Sisters of the Loreto Convent, especially Sr. Vineetha and the cooperation of all the parishioners.