Fr. Vincent Martis passes away in a tragic road accident

Report by Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

02 February 2010: In tragic road accident near Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Fr. Vincent Martis (61), the parish priest of St. Antony’s Parish, Sasthan passed away on Tuesday, 2nd February 2010 at around 12.30 pm.  He was on his way to Rajasthan to meet his sister, Sr. Laura and was travelling along with his another sister, Mrs. Bendicta Tauro  from Mumbai and nephews, Rajesh and Parkas and nieces Priya and Reshma from Belman. The tragedy struck the unsuspecting travellers at the Abu Road at around 12.30 pm. It is believed that heavy fog might have caused the accident. According to a report, Fr. Vincent who was sitting in the front seat succumbed on the spot and other occupants sustained injuries. As soon as Alphonse Alva of Moodubelle, the nephew of Fr. Vincent received the tragic news, he informed the Bishop of Mangalore by 3 pm. Alphonse Alva’s mother, Mrs. Theresa Alva (wife of late Robert Alva) is one of the elder sisters of Fr. Vincent.

According to the latest report, the body of Fr. Vincent and the injured have been shifted to a hospital at Ahmadabad in Gujarat. The body of Fr. Vincent is expected to reach Mumbai airport by morning of Wednesday, 3rd February 2010, and from there will be brought to Mangalore by the same evening.

Fr. Vincent Martis was born on 22nd January 1949 at Belman. He was the last among 7 sons and 3 daughters of late Marcel and Maria Martis.  After completing SSLC, Fr. Vincent joined St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore and was ordained on 25th October 1974.

Soon after ordination, the first assignment of Fr. Vincent was as the assistant parish priest of  Moodubelle.  Later, he was appointed as the parish priest of Nakre where he served for 7 years. Other parishes where Fr. Vincent served include Mukka (7 years), Kirem (7 years), Thrasi (7 years) and finally, since 9 years as the parish priest of Sasthan. While he was the parish priest of Kirem, Fr. Vincent built a new church at Mundkur which was later raised as an independent parish. At Sasthan, Fr. Vincent established an English Medium School and also built a Community Hall.

While one of the sisters of Fr. Vincent has been serving in a religious congregation in Rajasthan, an elder brother of his, Fr. Francis Martis who was a missionary in the Varanasi Diocese had passed away earlier. Fr. Vincent is survived by one brother, Henry Martis who resides at Belman and  three sisters.