Mangaluru: The Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI)has been a beacon of Healing and Comforting for those in sickness and infirmity. The 143-year-old institution has been bestowed with many a blessing from the divine instilling faith and fortitude among all those who have passed through its portals. Mere human strength does not uphold the Institutions but the mercy and interceding of the divine have helped its growth from a mere seedling to a vast and vibrant Institution with 4 campuses.
On 26 July in the Roman Catholic Calendar Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of Mother Mary and grandparents of Jesus Christ, are venerated for their parental guidance to Mother Mary and the influence they had on Little Boy Jesus. No one can exactly point out the facts on why these saints were declared the Patrons of FMCI but this tradition has been honoured and celebrated with great faith and fervor through more than a century. The love and guidance shown by grandparents and its effects on the younger generations in moulding them to be better individuals may be the main factor in why these Saints are the patrons.
Pope Francis 3 years ago declared the Feast of these saints to be the International Day of Grandparents, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge passed down by the older generation to the young and also for the need to take care of the older generation by the young, keeping in mind that the “Mercy of God, that flows from age to age”.
FMCI venerated the Saints on 26 July 2023 with a Festal Mass at 7:30 am in the St Joseph Chapel where the young and old, students and staff gathered in honour of them and their elderly to seek blessing and pray for the health of their beloved grandparents and parents.
The main celebrant was Rev. Fr J B Crasta, Director of St Antony Charity Institution (oldest ashram for old aged) who provided a beautiful homily that was appreciated by many. He said “Many times we pray to God to give a good result in our exams, secure the best job and hand full salary, we pray to God to bless our business, we pray to God to get into the best universities and sometimes we pray to settle in foreign countries, but we have failed to ask the wisdom to accept each other in our families, to build a human relationship with our parents and grandparents.
We have failed to minimize the communication gap and generation gap between our parents and elders.” He furthered by saying “Grandparents I conclude that they are like sacraments in our families. Sacraments I said because they possess the spiritual power of God.
They have a source of energy, power, strength and love in our families. In the Gospel of Luke chapter 2:40 we read that the child grew and became strong, he was filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was on him. The same was reflected in his ministry becoming a man of obedience, kindness, love and warmth.
Director FMCI Rev. Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho and the Priests in the Management Concelebrated the festal mass and thereafter blest the new and refurbished vehicles of the Institutions and the New Premise for the Internal Quality (IQAC) and Medical Education Unit (MEU) of the FMCI. Fr Ajith B Menezes, Administrator FMMC who supervised the construction also briefed on the requirements of these cells, that are part of the new medical education policy. IQAC FMCI is headed currently by Dr Harish Gouda (HOD & Prof Forensic Medicine FMMC) and MEU is headed by Dr Nagesh K R (Prof Forensic Medicine FMMC)
Breakfast for all the students, staff and faculty of the Institutions was arranged by the Management with a luncheon for the Management Committee Members and the Advisor Board Members, and an evening tea for all the visiting doctors of FMMCH was held thanking them and addressing their concerns.
Rev. Fr Richard in his addresses essayed that ‘respect and love for each other builds harmony and strength and that divisions and finger pointing leads to fracture of self and society’, these were the need of the hour. He also stressed that ‘the Mullerian Family has been a great source of strength for the management too, the roles played by every member has strengthened its resolve to help grow in the institutions mission of Heal and Comfort’.
