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There was a Public Function held on the grounds of St. Joseph's I.H. School, on the 19th April, 1998 to bid farewell to His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alphonus Mathias, Archbishop of Bangalore. Holy Mass was concelebrated by six priests with the Archbishop. Around 200 priests also shared in the Eucharistic Celebration. Religious and Laity made the congregation around 6000.
Farewell address presented to His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Alphonsus Mathias, Archbishop of Bangalore by Sr. M. Genevieve, PhD, Principal of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.
On December 3, 1986, your grace the most Rev. Dr. Alphonsus Mathias took over as Archbishop of Bangalore. The scattered sheep gathered to rejoice in their shepherd who would lead them to pastures green and waters serene. This joy and faith was justified. For more than eleven years, you, our Archbishop have steered this ship with a steady hand through calm and stormy waters alike, winning our faith, admiration, love and gratitude.
To quote Ecclesesiastes, Chapter 3, �To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven ... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to keep silence and a time to speak ....�
The time has come for us to speak of all that has been accomplished during these eleven years & more the distance we have travelled, and to number some of the milestones covered in that journey. It is also a time to rejoice and mourn at the swne time - to rejoice in the presence and the achievements of you, our beloved Archbishop and to mourn at the thought that you will no longer be at the helm of affairs.
�Go ye, and teach all nations," the Lord decreed and your Grace set forth with zeal to acquire land for building places of worship. Many are the churches that sprang up during your tenure with your blessings and encouragement - St. Paul's Church, Dasarahalli; St. Francis Xavier�s Church, Chikkakamanahalli; Christuprabhalaya, Jayanagar; St. Jude�s Church, Gangenhalli; St Thomas� Church, Sultanpalya; Our Lady of Vellankkani Church, Yelahanka, Chunchigat; Mestripalya, Vijayapura Byrathi, Irinyapalya, Naganahalli & Harobali - to name just a few. Quite a few presbyteries were also constructed during your tenure.
But soaring church spires alone will not draw people to God and so you combined the building of churches with the strengthening of the evangelical and pastoral ministry in the local churches. In this project you sought the active involvement of the clergy, religious and laity.
Your grace saw to the emerging of the beautiful, architecturally outstanding Bishop's house during your time. Besides you have taken a lot of trouble to strengthen the financial position of the Archdiocese.
Realising that "of such is the kingdom of heaven" and that our children are our hope and future, you rejoiced in their presence and sought every opportunity to reach out to them. Because of your insistence on the importance of faith formation in the young, regular catechism courses with prescribed texts and examinations were introduced in the diocese. Further, by instituting scholarships in christian schools and colleges and above all by your constant and continuing dialogue with the youth, you helped them grow in the knowledge of Christ.
Never one to forget the marginalised, your Grace appointed an experienced priest to study the plight of dalit christians and followed it up with a stern injunction to all christian schools and colleges to welcome dalit students, give them concrete support and invited them to turn to the Archbishop�s house for further help if necessary.
To ensure justice for all employees of the church and religious institutions, your Grace laid down policies with regard to pay scale, provident fimd, gratuity, medical assistance, food and house rent. For this, your Grace has been blessed by many a grateful employee.
You loved the youth, yet, you never forgot those who were old and needed care. You built a beautiful and tranquil home for retired priests of the Archdiocese where they could spend their days in peace and prayer.
Stressing the importance of families, your grace urged them to become "schools of prayer" and to mirror the holy family at Nazareth. You urged couples to attend courses offered by the Family Welfare Centre in preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Your Grace, you are a brilliant orator and master of many languages. Your haunting homilies and powerful exhortations, will continue to haunt us. But most important of all, you could speak the language that all could understand - the language of love, concern and humanity.
An erudite scholar you could recall the articles of the Indian Constitution as well as the articles of faith, you never lost your essential
simplicity, sincerity, humility and directness. Appointed Chairman of the Commission for Social Communications of the Federation of the Asian Bishops' Conference; President of Radio Veritas, Manila; a member of the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications and the Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican, you displayed charisma and a talent for reaching the masses. Yet, you never lost your singular ability to communicate with the individual person and you were comfortable with people from all walks of life.
Your Grace may have attended earthshaking and policy making conferences as the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the Chancellor of the St Peter's Pontifical Institute and Pro-chancellor of Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, but of equal importance to you was a conference with just you, me or any individual member of your Archdiocese.
Catechism classes apart you knew that the most elective teaching is by precept and example. For young and old alike, you are a role model, admired for what you say, do and ARE.
Your analytical acumen and psychological insight helped you deal with the complexity of human behaviour and shape policy. Yet it was your essential warmth and openness that endeared you to people of the diocese.
Your Grace grew in wisdom and years, but remained eternally young in the company of the youth who held a special place in your heart and your policy making.
You travelled far and wide across the world to attend conferences but you never forgot to keep in step with your flock - to walk beside them as friend and counsellor.
Over six feet tall and endowed with a towering personality you are unassuming and often unobtrusive. Resplendent and regal in episcopal finery, you are we know uneasy and uncomfortable with pomp and splendour ... and I know that you are squirming with embarrassment now, as you were at the suggestion made in 1989 that you celebrate your silver jubilee in style.
It is a matter of sorrow and concern that your failing health has been largely responsible for your having had to resign as chief shepherd of this Archdiocese. We pray God that you re@ the health you once enjoyed. We are indeed sorry that you have to leave us. May God's will be done - In His will is our peace.
To come back to Ecclesiastes - there is a time for every thing. Nearly twelve years ago we gathered to welcome you the Most. Rev. Dr. Alphonsus Mathias as our Archbishop and spiritual father in Christ. Today, we are here to say farewell. All of us gathered here today say �goodbye� - in the original sense of the word. �Good bye� or God be with you. God be with you your Grace, all the days of your life. May He hold you in the palm of His hand. But as you leave, we will carry these indelible images stamped in our hearts ...
... these images will reverberate and echo in our hearts that you have made your own.
Yours devotedly in Our Lord
THE CLERGY, RELIGIOUS & LAITY
OF
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BANGALORE
Date: 19 April 1998
Place: Bangalore
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Thought for the Day:" Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, Fon in the manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did they fathers to the false prophets." Holy Bible: Luke 6:20-26