Msgr R F C Mascarenhas is the first and the only Servant of God on the path to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church originating from the Indian Konkani community of Mangalore. The sacred year-long observances spear headed by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, Mangalore, will be inaugurated by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul DSouza, Bishop of Mangalore which will bring into focus the fiftieth year 2009 -2010, of the death of the Servant of God, Raymond FC Mascarenhas (23 January 1875 to 23 December 1960).

Among several of his achievements the outstanding are that (1) he is the founder of the only indigenous order of Bethany Sisters in Mangalore (1921) and (2) Founder and first Parish Priest of city’s Bendur Parish (1914-1931). Here we like to put a small light on his life and achievements.

Birth and childhood

Mgr. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas hails from a devout Catholic family of Mangalore, was born on 23 January 1875. Lazarus and Joanna, his parents were known for their piety and fidelity to Christian faith.

Raymond’s innate potentialities blossomed in the happy, disciplined and devout family atmosphere. He inherited a well disciplined firmness of character, spirit of Christian generosity, charity, compassion towards the poor, endurance and courage to venture into the unknown.

Raymond had his early education in Milagres Church School, Mangalore and received his First Holy Communion in 1885 at Milagres Church. Later, he was admitted to St. Aloysius School run by the Jesuits, where he completed his matriculation with a first class.

Priestly Call

At the age of sixteen on Feb. 23, 1891 he joined St. Joseph’s Apostolic Seminary, Mangalore. After nine long years of preparation, on March 4 1900, at the age of 25, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abundius Cavadini S.J., the Titular Bishop of Mangalore ordained him a priest for the diocese of Mangalore. Reminiscing about his ordination day he would say in later years, “It was the most wonderful day of my life.” On this occasion he added ‘Francis’ to his baptismal name in honour of the great apostle of India whose special patronage he had experienced during his seminary days. From then on he was known as Raymond Francis Camillus or familiarly Fr. R.F.C. Mascarenhas. On 11 March 1900, he celebrated his first solemn High Mass in the Milagres Church at Mangalore.

Priestly ministry

Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas began his priestly ministry in 1900, as an assistant parish priest of his own parish, Milagres Church, in Mangalore. Thereafter, for three years, he served as an Assistant Parish Priest at Mount Rosary, Kallianpur and Milagres, Kallianpur. He was the parish priest of Udyavar parish for seven years beginning from 1903.In the year 1908 Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas built a monumental church at Udyavar in honour of his patron, St. Francis Xavier, on the three acres of land he had procured for the church.

When he started the church he did not have a penny to start with. His deep faith in the Providence of God and the intercession of Mother Mary brought him many blessings. He also believed in the generosity of people though most of them were poor.

From 1910 - 1914, he rendered service as the parish priest of Agrar parish. This remote parish of the diocese offered him a very challenging field of apostolate, which he took up in humble submission to the will of God. Wherever he had been, he shared the compassionate love of Jesus with the poor and the needy, the sick and the suffering, risking his own health and spending his own money.

Founding the parish of Bendur

In 1914, at the request of the people Rt. Rev. Paul Perini S.J. the bishop of the diocese appointed him as the first parish priest of Bendur, which was carved out of the distant areas of Milagres and Rosario Cathedral parishes. He started his mission in the new parish of Bendur living in a poor dilapidated house by the roadside. A thatched hall that he put up served as the church. Later on, without taxing the people of the parish, placing his entire trust in Divine Providence and raising money from different people, foundation stone for the new Church was laid on 7 January 1919 and on 3 January 1930 it was blessed by Bishop Valerian D’ Souza, the first Indian Bishop. Very next day a big marble altar was blessed. The beautiful Church edifice of Bendur that one sees today was built by Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas.

Regular family visits, retreats, sermons, catechetical instructions, confessions, starting of pious associations such as Sodalities for women and girls, Vincent De Paul Society, Altar Boys’ Association, were the means taken by him for the spiritual formation of the people. He inspired his people with a special love and devotion to the martyr, St. Sebastian, the patron of the parish and instituted a weekly novena, which is being continued till today.

Realizing the importance of Catholic education for the all round development of people, he started St. Sebastian School. This school was a boon especially to the poor Catholics of the locality. Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas took keen interest to nurture the seed of faith in children and youth and assisted in the flowering of priestly and religious vocations. Three priests whom he had recruited were later consecrated as Bishops. His services were not limited to the parish activities only. In 1914 he was appointed as the President of Mangalore Roman Catholic Pioneer Fund and continued as its president till 1941. Through this Pioneer fund, he gave leadership to plan and execute several projects, especially for the economic self-reliance of the poor of South Kanara.

Founding the congregation of Bethany

While serving as a parish priest at Bendur, Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas grieved to see the distress of many young women who had a genuine vocation to religious life, but could not get entry into the then existing religious congregations, because of the requirement of higher education and exorbitant dowry. Another problem that bothered him was the lack of elementary educational facilities especially for girls in Bendur as well as in the rural areas. Scarcity of good and committed teachers was a hurdle in running the existing schools and in starting the new ones especially in the villages.

A large segment of the population, especially girls in the rural areas was deprived both, of an elementary education and religious instruction. The shepherd’s heart ached for this sector of people in his parish. Thus motivated and almost obsessed with the evangelical urge, “to have the Gospel preached to the poor”, and to help them in other ways, Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas as was his practice, first turned to prayer, in order to learn the will of God in this matter. Soon it became clear that he must meet the challenge in whatever way it might be open to him. Ultimately, he conceived the idea of founding a Congregation with the double aim of making religious life possible for many local and poor girls and, in doing so, to prepare apostles to carry the Good News of Christ’s Kingdom to the poor and neglected wherever needed especially in the villages.

He lost no time in placing his plans before his superior, the Rt. Rev. Paul Perini S.J., the then Bishop of Mangalore, and sought his guidance. Strengthened by the encouragement from the Bishop, Mgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas committed his project to the Lord, prayed over it and waited for God to send him further light in this matter. His prayer was answered. The zealous pastor, who knew by name his flock, found in the parish itself four committed women, who had a call to religious life but had no opportunity to become a religious in the then existing Congregations for want of higher education and fat dowry. When Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas disclosed his plan to them they were eager to organize themselves into a community and devote themselves to any work that might be required of them. All four of them were trained primary school teachers from the parish of Bendur, Mangalore.

On 16th July 1921, the feast day of Mount Carmel, Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas offered these four valiant daughters of Mangalore, namely Marceline Menezes (Sr. Mary Martha), Flora Mathias (Sr. Mary Clare) and her sister Alice Mathias (Sr. Mary Lourdes) and Regina Gertrude Gonsalves (Sr. Mary Gertrude) to the protective care of our Blessed Mother in the parish Church of Bendur.

The Charisma and spirituality of Bethany Congregation
‘The Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany’ was the name given by Rt. Rev. Mgr. R.F.C. Mascarenhas to the new Institute and they were familiarly known as Bethany Sisters. Having consulted the Apostolic See as prescribed by the law, Rt. Rev. Victor Fernades, the then Bishop of the Mangalore diocese, canonically erected the Congregation on 28th July 1932.

Mother Mary in the mystery of the Annunciation would be the principal patroness of the community. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, Be it done to me according to your word” was given to the Sisters as their motto and inspiration in their service of God and neighbour. St. Therese of the child Jesus, whose intercession Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas had powerfully experienced from the very start of the founding of the new Institute, was constituted as the second patroness. He was impressed greatly by the simplicity of her spirituality and her great missionary zeal.

The Sisters would share the compassionate love of Jesus by devoting themselves chiefly to Catholic education, catechesis in the parishes, teaching of catechumens and neophytes and would take up any service as per the need of the Church. Under the guidance of Mgr Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas, the Sisters animated the newly started Marian Sodality and Legion of Mary and administered St. Sebastian School of the parish. In view of facilitating the education of girls, Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas started St. Margaret Mary School in 1921 and St. Martha’s Industrial School in 1922 and a boarding for girls in 1925 which were placed under the management of the Sisters.

In spite of his heavy responsibilities as the parish priest, Fr. Raymond spared sufficient time in directing the newly formed community in the basics of religious life. Their life example started attracting more members to the Congregation. In 1925, in response to the request of a missionary priest of the diocese he opened the first branch house of Bethany named Lisieux convent, in the parish of Puttur which was then a mission area. The Sisters taught in the parish school and also engaged in the faith formation of the catechumens. He used to say that venturing into the mission areas brought numerous vocations to Bethany and thus expansion of Bethany started taking place rapidly. Within a decade of its existence the membership of the Congregation increased to 86 and there were nine communities in various parishes of Mangalore Diocese.

The Sisters were engaged in schools, boarding houses, orphanages, health centers, weaving centers, taking care of parish churches, giving religious instruction to children and adults, preparing for the reception of sacraments and visiting families. Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas expounded to the Sisters the dignity of labour giving them the example of Jesus and initiated them to verities of manual labour including agricultural pursuits.

Service to the Diocese and Catholic Community

In the midst of all his direct works of sacred ministry in the Parish of Bendur, Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas continued to serve the diocese in various capacities. His farsighted suggestions and opinions were welcomed in taking important decisions in the administration of the Diocese. For example, in 1915 Rt. Rev. Paul Perini authorized him to settle the pending dispute of Karkal Parish. On July 21, 1916 Bishop Paul Perini S.J. appointed him as a member of the commission of examination in moral theology of the secular clergy of Mangalore diocese. On January 30, 1918 the same Bishop appointed him as a member of Diocesan Council for a period of three years. In the same year on July 15 the Bishop appointed Mgr. Mascarenhas as a member of “Judices Pro-Synodales” and also a member of the council for the administration of the temporalities for the diocesan seminary.

From 1921-27, he was a member of the District Educational Council of South Kanara. In 1923, he was elected to the Municipal Council without any effort and served this organization till 1929. As a member of the Municipal Council, he was listened to with great respect when he spoke on any issue. In an elaborate Memorandum sent to the Director of Public Instruction at Madras in 1927, he exposed the shortcomings of the District Education Council, of which he was the only Catholic member. When the Chief Minister Subbaroyan visited Mangalore in 1928, a group of leading Catholics requested Fr. Mascarenhas to prepare a Memorandum of educational and other grievances of the Catholic community.

On November 11 1930, Rt. Rev. V.R. Fernandes who was then the Vicar Capitular nominated Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas a delegate to the General meeting of the Catholic Educational Council of the Madras Presidency. The result of this representation was the Govt. order of 1929, recognizing the rights of Catholic community.

Vicar general of the Diocese

After 17 years of dedicated service, Fr. Raymond Mascarenhas bade farewell to the Bendur parish community in the year 1931 on his appointment as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore. As Vicar General he met numerous people and was called upon to serve in many capacities both inside and outside the Diocese. In October 10, 1931 he was appointed as the Officialis of the Diocesan Curia, the diocesan supervisor of Catholic elementary and secondary schools of the diocese and the supervisor of the temporalities of the parishes of the diocese. In October 25, 1931 Mgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas was appointed as President of Mangalore Roman Catholic Provident Fund. In Dec.12, 1931 he was nominated as a member to All India Catholic Board representing the Diocese of Mangalore.

He was chosen to be the President of the Catholic Association of the South Kanara in 1931 and Vice-President of Diocesan Catholic Board of Education. Realizing the importance of education for the all-round development of the people, he made strenuous efforts to open schools in the remote areas of the diocese especially for girls. To promote adult education he wrote two Primers in Konkany, the language of the Catholic community.
For several years Mgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas was also the President of the Konkani Catholic Truth Society. He was also appointed to different boards and commissions of the Diocese. He was nominated as the Official of the Diocesan Ecclesiastical Court. Both priests and laity appreciated him as a man of integrity, transparency and truthfulness.. As Vicar General he was always empathetic and considerate to the priests of the Diocese, and helped them in their needs. He encouraged the lay people to participate in parish and pastoral activities.

In the year 1938, on the occasion of the first Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, during the solemn Pontifical High Mass he preached a touching sermon beginning and finishing it with the first lines of the Benediction hymn, “Tantum ergo Sacramentum, veneremur cernui”. It made such an impact on his hearers that he is quoted even today. The annual retreat he preached to the seminarians at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye, in 1940 was an unforgettable experience for them. He was indeed efficient and efficacious, as the Vicar General.

New mission ventures through Bethany congregation

When opportunities arose his apostolic zeal fired him to send out missionaries beyond the boundaries of the Diocese unmindful of cultural differences. He assisted in the sprouting of other indigenous Congregations. In 1937, Mgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas helped in the formation of the Holy Family Sisters of Nazareth of Goa - an ‘indigenous Congregation’ founded by Fr. Faustine D’Souza. Mgr.Raymond extended support of his friendship and prayers to Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios OIC, the Founder of Bethany Sisters of Imitation of Christ, of Malankara Catholic Metropolitan Eparchy, Trivandrum.

Inspired by the great zeal of Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas Bethany opened the first convent outside the Diocese in the Malabar mission of Calicut Diocese in 1936. Responding to the invitation of the Bishop of Poona that came to him in 1939, Bethany opened convents in Dharwar and Guledgudd mission areas, then belonging to the Diocese of Poona. In all these mission ventures he was a true father, guide and an inspiration.
He retired from the office of the Vicar General in 1941.

Thereafter he took his residence in a cottage in Bethany Mother House complex and functioned as the chaplain and the director of the Congregation. During this period Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas opened new missions in the remote areas of Karnataka around Belgaum and under his leadership Bethany Sisters pioneered into the difficult mission terrains.

Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas’ life testifies his attitude to suffering and reveals the source of his spiritual strength. He loved God intensely and that love had to be tested, tried and proved.

His love for Bethany, the Congregation that he had founded was unparalleled and it became a source of great mental agony, anguish and suffering. The Second World War and the years that followed posed greater problems for Bethany. Bethany being an indigenous congregation did not have support from abroad as in the case of other Congregations. The non-earning members, the sick, the students and those under formation out-numbered the earning members. As a consequence, there were financial problems and sufficient food was not available, and many young and promising sisters succumbed to tuberculosis and died one after the other in spite of serious efforts to save their lives. This was a severe blow to the Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas, the Founder and his heart wept.

He suffered misunderstanding and even criticism from priests and ecclesiastical authorities and the public on account of the Congregation he started. No one except one or two of his confidants knew of the anguish that he was undergoing, as externally he appeared composed. He suffered, with heroic humility, obedience, fortitude and implicit trust and confidence in Jesus and our Blessed Mother.

Literary works

Father Mascarenhas translated the whole of the New Testament into Konkany. The publication of the translated four gospels and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1949 as his 75th birthday and Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee gift to Holy Mother the Church was acclaimed by Vatican in a felicitation letter dated 28th March 1950 by P. Card. Fumasoni Biondi, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples. The Cardinal also eulogized his missionary initiatives, educational enterprise, pastoral endeavors and literary contributions.
Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas also translated the books of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Psalms of the Old Testament. The completion of the Old Testament translation was his unfulfilled dream. The entire New Testament was translated and published in one volume.

The Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Bombay awarded the ‘4th Konkany Conference Prize’ to Mgr. Raymond for the book, “Novo Testament” on Independence Day, 1950. He is remembered as the genius of the Konkany language and literature. He also translated the ‘Little Office of the Immaculate Conception’, ‘Little Office of Blessed Virgin Mary’, ‘Office of the dead’, Masses for the dead, The Funeral Rite, ‘A Few Minutes with Mary on Saturday’, ‘Office of the Sacred Heart’ and translation of 41 hymns from Latin and English into Konkany.

Recognizing the commendable pastoral, educational and social activities of Mgr. Raymond Mascarenhas and his inspiring life, Rt. Rev. Dr. Basil Peres, the then Bishop of Mangalore recommended him to the Holy See for the honour of Domestic Prelate. Pope Pius XII conferred on Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas the title of ‘Domestic Prelate’ on June 20 1955.

Unshakable faith

The most striking factor about Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas was his shining spirituality, which illuminated his personality. Mgr. Raymond’s constant union with the Incarnate Word lighted up the faith in him and he sought the will of God in all things. To discern the Divine Will, he would spend long hours in prayer before any undertaking. When he was approached about anything, he would say, “We shall see what our Blessed Mother has to say.” It was through constant practice of self-sacrifice that he attained this heroic virtue of conformity to the will of God.
When he was in financial distress one would find him praying before the tabernacle or saying rosary, expecting in full trust that his needs would be taken care of. All his mission ventures are shining examples of his heroic faith in the providence of God.

Like a child, Mgr. Raymond expected everything from his Heavenly Father. His hope gave him strength and courage to weather any adverse situation. He instilled hope in the distressed and disheartened.

Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas used to spend hours meditating on the Word of God and thus drew strength and light for his life and mission. His great desire was to imitate Jesus who emptied himself to bring the compassionate love of God to the people. Though hailing from an affluent family, he lived a very poor life and generously contributed all his savings for his apostolic activities. When gifts were conferred on him, he would immediately pass it on to a needy person.

In his conferences he instructed his spiritual daughters to adhere to the rules, regulations and orders of the Superiors. On one occasion he advised a Sister to follow the orders of her Superior, although this order would cause him personal inconvenience, suffering and humiliation.

His starting of perpetual adoration in 1937, in the newly founded Congregation speaks of his great faith and trusts in Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as the source and summit of life and mission. During his last days he constantly repeated his favorite ejaculatory prayers, “O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and thanks-giving be every moment Thine.” His dying request to the Superior General was to continue the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Bethany Mother house.

After his Ordination, he became a tireless promoter of the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus recommending the observance of the First Fridays of the month in His honour, the holy hour of reparation, the litany of the Sacred Heart, and the act of reparation. Above all, in each of the parishes, he urged the enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in every home just as he enthroned the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the first Bethany house immediately after its foundation. The love and mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was a dominant theme in his daily conversations, his spiritual guidance and in the many sermons and conferences he gave to the religious communities.

The Blessed Virgin Mary was a loving mother to Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas. In his mother tongue, affectionately he would address her ‘Mai’ (mother) as a child would address its mother. He wanted her to be a mother to each religious of Bethany. In his letters to many of the Sisters he wrote “She is the mother given to us by Jesus on Calvary.”

On 16 July 1947, the Silver Jubilee of Bethany’s Foundation, he consecrated the entire Congregation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and expressed a desire that the Sisters renew this consecration each year on the same date. He taught the Sisters to invoke her as the “Queen Mother of Bethany” and to adopt as their motto and ideal the “Ecce Ancilla Domini” of the Annunciation. All his correspondence would begin with the maxim: All for Jesus through Mary. During his free time and when traveling, he was always praying the rosary.

Tested in the crucible of suffering:

There were many trials and challenges he had to face on account of Bethany. The young indigenous Congregation did not have Sisters experienced in administration, and in Canon Law. The Founder practically directed both the administrative and financial affairs of the Congregation. After the Bishop’s visitation of the Congregation in 1957, a change in the administration of the Congregation was brought about. Since then Mgr. Raymond, the Founder had hardly any say in the administration of the Congregation. Sisters were ordered not to go and consult him as before. Even though he knew deep down in his heart that sometime the change must come, yet it was difficult to accept. Mgr. Raymond had given his all for the sake of Bethany, now it seemed that Bethany no longer needed him. It was for him a very lonely and agonizing experience.

Mgr. Raymond believed that as the founder of the Congregation his name was bound up with Bethany. Accordingly he had a strong urge to explain some of his actions, which had been misunderstood in clerical and diocesan circles. He prepared a booklet called “My Apology” and shared this among his friends who were significant in his life. The Diocesan authorities were upset about this, accused him of libel, and demanded a public retraction under the threat of suspension. He was also ordered to “recall” all the booklets he had sent out. The priest was completely broken but he humbly submitted. He retracted under duress, and his retraction was published in one of the issues of the “Rakno”- the diocesan weekly of that year.

By then, Monsignor Mascarenhas the chosen instrument of God was tested and ready for the final sacrifice. He was judged and condemned. For a short period of time he was also abandoned by his own spiritual daughters of Bethany.

It was at this time, Divine Providence willed to purify him further to detach him from any little string that might bind him up to this earth. His heart was pierced deeply on the great day of his Diamond jubilee celebration of his priesthood on 29th Feb. 1960 at St. Sebastian’s Church in Bendur. The old man of 85 was unable to stand the flood of emotions of joy and gratitude. To the great disappointment of the large crowd that had gathered at the Eucharistic Celebration, he was struck by partial paralysis, leaving him incapable of movement and speech. However, he did not lose hope. He took this stroke also in a spirit of faith and suffered the physical and mental agony together with its humiliations. He appeared to be happy and serene and tears filled his eyes when the Sisters greeted him with the Bethany Anthem.

To him, living always consciously in the presence of God, the Passion of Christ was a constant, awesome reality, possessing the poignant actuality and immediacy of experiencing the anguish, desolation and death of a beloved and friend. So profound was the impressions of the crucifixion on the mind of Mgr. Raymond F.C Mascarenhas that he hardly spoke of it without having his voice betray his emotion.

Deprived of all human consolations, he sought comfort in prayer before the Eucharistic Lord and his Blessed Mother, whom he frequently invoked as “Man of Sorrows” and the “Mother of the man of Sorrows”. It was the dark night before the full light. None of these events left him bitter. The Divine knife had cut deeper, to take away from his heart every attachment, however small.

Peaceful voyage to eternal Home

With the appointment of Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond D’Mello as the Bishop of Mangalore and the election of Mother Macrina, the Superior General of Bethany in April 1959 circumstances gradually changed for the better. From then on he was more peaceful, and he left himself in the hands of the Bishop and the Superior General to be cared for by the Sisters whom he considered his spiritual daughters. The frequent visit of Bishop D’Mello and his words of comfort and encouragement strengthened his spirit. Though he longed to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice daily, he could have this privilege only three times after his paralysis. Every day, until his death he received Holy Communion from the Chaplain.

By December 20 his physical condition deteriorated. The pastor of Bendur parish came to anoint him. The Sisters of the Congregation were informed of the imminence of the death of their Founder and many hastened to Bethany to receive his last blessing. He refused to turn away any one who came to seek the consolation of his presence or his last blessing. He was amiable and serene, even to the end.

Gradually, the saintly old man lost his power of speech but his mind was still calm and clear. He fixed his penetrating gaze on the eyes of the Superior General and he mumbled adore… adore… adore… This was finally interpreted as a request to restore perpetual adoration in the Mother House of Bethany.

On 22nd Dec., at 2.30 p.m. he seemed to be experiencing the struggle between life and death. Throughout the last hours of his life on earth, his close friend Mgr. Marian Castelino, kept watch by his side. The room was filled with Bethany Sisters praying on their knees. At 3.45 am on Dec. 23, 1960 Mgr. Raymond F.C. Mascarenhas surrendered his spirit into the hands of God. He was then in the 86 year of his age and 61 year of his priestly ministry.