Hopes and prays for a pope from Bandra By: Kanika Parab April 9, 2005
Ivan Cardinal Dias With speculation rife over who's going to be the next pope, it comes as no surprise that Bandraiites are also caught up in the guessing game. Especially since Ivan Cardinal Dias, who was born and brought up in St Sebastian Society, has many friends and teachers from his schooldays and other well-wishers rooting for him to become the next pope. A true Bandraiite, the cardinal was baptised at Mt Carmel Church and also received his first Holy Communion and sacrament of confirmation here. He lived with his parents and three brothers in a cottage in Bandra and attended school at St Stanislaus, Hill Road. One person who has known the cardinal right since his school days is Clarence Gomes, resident of Bazaar Road. Although Cardinal Dias was senior to Gomes, he remembers him clearly. Says Gomes, ''As a young boy in school, he was very outgoing and eloquent. He was also very interested in sports, especially hockey. All of us Stanislaus students are very proud that the cardinal is a contender for the papacy and we are all praying for his victory.'' He adds, ''I have also been in touch with the cardinal for the last 10 years, ever since he got posted in Mumbai. I am also the vice-president of the St Stanislaus Ex-students Association so I meet him at a lot of the association's functions. It feels great that the pope might actually be from Bandra!'' Besides the people from the cardinal's schooldays, there are others who have been in constant touch with him and are all very proud of him. Father Larry Pereira, parish priest at Mt Carmel Church where Cardinal Dias was baptised, has constantly been meeting him. He says, ''Cardinal Dias's parents, Carlos and Maria Dias, are also buried at the Mount Carmel cemetery. He often comes to visit his parent's graves and also to visit the parish.'' He adds, ''Although we are very proud that someone who was from this parish may become the pope, at the moment we cannot predict which cardinal will be elected. It is all pure speculation.'' If my student becomes pope, I will be on top of the world The cardinal's math and history teacher Master Willy D'souza, resident of 14th Road, is now 102 years old and remembers the cardinal as a young respectful boy. He says, ''I taught Ivan as well as his brothers at St Stanislaus and he was a fine pupil. He was always very attentive, well-behaved and always had a smiling face. If my student does happen to become the pope I will be on top of the world.'' In fact, the cardinal is still in touch with his former teacher and visits him often. D'souza adds, ''Whenever Cardinal Dias visits Mt Carmel Church or is in the area, he always makes it a point to visit me. He is very humble and I am sure even if he becomes the pope, this humility will remain. I hope this will happen.'' When I make mistakes in Portuguese he always corrects me Also rooting for our 'Bandra Cardinal' is someone whose Portuguese is constantly corrected by Cardinal Dias who speaks 16 languages fluently. Singer Felix Flor, resident of St John's Street has always been organising concerts for the Archdiocese. ''I know the cardinal very well for the last seven years. He strikes me as a religious person and a very intelligent candidate to be pope. I sometimes sing songs in Portuguese at these concerts and it isn't really my forte. When I make mistakes, he always makes it a point to correct me and so he has been vital in improving my Portuguese,'' he says with a laugh. Flor is also of the opinion that having an Indian pope is a great thing that can happen to the country. He says, ''We are praying that Cardinal Dias will become pope.'' Besides friends and acquaintances, all Bandraiites have a soft spot for this local contender and they are all hoping and praying for a 'Pope from Bandra'
