Late Fr. Vincent Martis laid to rest at Sastan in an emotion filled atmosphere

Report by Dr. Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Pics By Anil Alva, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Sastan, 05 February 2010: The body of late Fr. Vincent Martis, the Parish Priest of Sastan who had passed away in a tragic road accident at Abu Cross Road in Rajasthan on 2nd February 2010 was laid to his final rest at the cemetery of St. Antony’s Church, Sastan on Friday, 5th February 2010 at 6pm.

Fr. Vincent Martis had been the parish priest of Sastan for the last nine years and had made himself popular among his parishioners because of his friendly nature and good work that he had done in the parish including the starting of an English Medium School, construction of the Community Hall and providing a four storey building for the Kannada Medium School. He had also completed the formalities to affiliate the English Medium School to the CBSE, Delhi.

In the morning the embalmed body of Fr. Vincent was taken from Fr. Muller’s Hospital to Milagres Church in a glass casket where a solemn Requiem Mass was offered by Rev. Fr. Denis Moras Prabhu, the Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese. From Mangalore, the body of Fr. Vincent was taken in an ambulance to Belman to his ancestral house and from there to Moodubelle where, Fr. Vincent’s ailing elder sister, Mrs. Theresa Alva (wife of late Robert Alva) could view the face of her loving brother for the last time. From Moodubelle, the ambulance reached Sastan at around 1 pm where Fr. Alban D’Souza, Parish Priest of Kundapur and Dean of the Kundapur Deanery and Fr. Dominic Viegas (OFM) from Holy Family Church, Brahmavar along with the parishioners of Sastan received the casket near the entrance of the church.

Thousands of people came to pay their last respect to the departed parish priest from far and near. The casket containing the body of Fr. Vincent was kept in a specially arranged stand in front of the church. Many people from other parishes where Fr. Vincent had served either as an assistant parish priest or as the parish priest had come in large number through hired vehicles.

Before the beginning of the solemn funeral Mass at 4pm, the body of Fr. Vincent was transferred to the wooden coffin and was placed on the stand in front of the altar in the church. The main altar of St. Antony’s Church, Sastan was decorated with white roses and purple cloth symbolizing mourning.

The solemn funeral Mass was offered by Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius D’Souza along with around 75 priests from different Deaneries. Among the priests were: Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Episcopal Vicar, Udupi, Rev. Fr. Mathew P. Vaz, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Sorrows Church and the Dean of Udupi Deanery, Rev. Fr. Marcel Saldanha, Parish Priest of Milagres Church and Dean of Kallianpur Deanery and Rev. Fr. Alban D’Souza, Parish Priest of Kundapur and the Dean of Kundapur Deanery. There were also a large number of religious sisters belonging to different congregations.

Dr. Aloysius D’Souza in his introductory address said that Fr. Vincent had given selfless service to the people of Sastan and he participated in their pain and sorrow of losing their beloved parish priest. He further said that it was the will of God that he is no more with his people. In spite of being away from them, Fr. Vincent would pray for them and will shower his blessings from heaven.

In his sermon, Fr. Vincent Menezes, Parish Priest of Cassia and a close friend of Fr. Vincent while in Seminary said that a priest should live and work according to the life teachings of Christ and late Fr. Vincent lived and worked according to his priestly vocation in the path shown by Jesus Christ. He further said that Fr. Vincent toiled for the welfare of his parishioners wherever he had an opportunity to serve.

Rev. Fr. Valerian Pinto, Parish Priest of Kulshekar and also the classmate of Fr. Vincent Martis in his eulogy at the end of the Mass narrated in brief his family background, education and training for priesthood in the Seminary and his service as assistant priest and parish priest in different parishes. His contribution to the Parish of Sastan has been memorable. Fr. Vincent had made many parishioners self sufficient different parishes that he had served. He had helped quietly many people in need.

While delivering the eulogy, Fr. Valerian Pinto could not hold back his tears and with choked voice he paid rich tribute to one of the most loved and admired priests in recent times. Fr. Valerian said that Fr. Vincent was a man of few words and plenty of blessings. He shared with the poor whatever he had. He was close to God and loved by people wherever he had served. Fr. Valerian noted that the enormous number of people that have attended the funeral of Fr. Vincent shows that he was loved by all.

Soon after his ordination, Fr. Vincent was assigned to Moodubelle as assistant parish priest. People of Moodubelle still have great respect and affection towards Fr. Vincent that was evident from the fact that over hundred people from Moodubelle attended the funeral service of Fr. Vincent.

Robert Furtado, Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council offered emotional tribute to Fr. Vincent on behalf of the parishioners of Sastan by recalling the great work that he had done in the parish and placed flowers on the coffin of Fr. Vincent. While Robert Furtado was speaking many parishioners were found wiping their tears. William Saldanha, Secretary of the Parish Administrative Council of Sastan expressed thanks to all those who helped in bringing the body of Fr. Vincent from Rajasthan to Mangalore and those who helped in arranging the funeral.

On behalf of the family of Fr. Vincent, Rajesh Martis, nephew of Fr. Vincent and who had travelled with him to Rajasthan and miraculously had survived expressed gratitude to Dr. Aloysius D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore for offering the funeral Mass and all the priests and religious sisters and the people of Sastan for making arrangements of the funeral.

Bishop Dr. Aloysius D’Souza conducted the final funeral prayers in the church. Thereafter, around 6pm the body of late Fr. Vincent Martis was carried in procession by the priests to the cemetery and was lowered in a specially built grave.

Thousands of people paid their last respect and bid a tearful farewell to late Fr. Vincent Martis. As the funeral service got over, the sun was seen setting on the horizon. People went back to their homes with tears in their eyes and emotion in their heart of losing their beloved parish priest. As the sun would rise again the next day so the great works that Fr. Vincent had done in Sastan and elsewhere will remind the parishioners that there lived a priest among them who not only loved them but showed them the path of living a respectful and dignified life.

Fr. Vincent, along with his sister, Benedicta Tauro, nephews, Rajesh and Prakash and nieces Reshma and Priya was on his way to meet his sister, Sr. Laura in Rajasthan when the Scorpio vehicle in which they were travelling met with a ghastly accident on 2nd February 2010 at Abu Cross Road near Mount Abu at around 12.30 pm. Fr. Vincent, who was in the front seat was believed to have succumbed on the spot due to the massive injuries that he had sustained. The injured were taken immediately to the Brahma Kumaris Hospital near Mount Abu. Later, Prakash, Benedicta Tauro, and Reshma Alva who had sustained serious injuries were shifted to the Rajasthan Hospital at Ahmadabad so also the lifeless body of Fr. Vincent.

On 3rd February 2010, following the post-mortem, the embalmed body of Fr. Vincent, accompanied by Priya and Rajesh along with other relatives of Fr. Vincent was flown to Mumbai and from there to Mangalore by 11am. Later, the body was kept in the mortuary of Fr. Muller’s Hospital at Kankanady, Mangalore. According to a reliable report, Benedicta Tauro, Prakash and Reshma though out of danger require surgery and further treatment for recovery which may take quite some time.