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**** Goanet Classifieds ****
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Enescil, a Brazilian engineering firm requires Engineers, Architects
and Draftsmen, proficient in AutoCAD, for their new office in Goa
Those interested can email [email protected] by 15 November 2011
Selected candidates will be sent to Brazil for 2 months training
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NOTE: This monument was erected mainly through the efforts of the Goan
community of Karachi
Monument to Christ the King, St. Patrick's Cathedral. Karachi
By Michael Ali ( published in the Christian Voice, Karachi (Oct. 1981) on the
Golden Jubilee of the Monument
Blessed is the King, they said, who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in
heaven, glory above. Luke 19:38
Recently we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the beautiful white marble
monument glorifying Christ the King. This monument has stood overlooking one of
the busiest streets of Karachi – the Clarke Street. We all know this landmark,
situated just before the Cathedral... many of us have played around when we
were children and later posed on it for our First Communion photographs.
Let us go back in time, to the years 1926-27 and learn more about this 54 feet
high architectural beauty. Incidentally, it is the only structure of its kind
in the city of Karachi and many tourists try to capture its magnificence on
film.
Ever since the very Rev. Fr. Vincent Gimenez S.J., was officially installed as
Parish Priest of St. Patrick’s, he infused into the parishioners a spirit which
led to various activities for the uplift and general betterment of the
community. Fr Gimenez as someone very rightly said, was “supremely a priest, an
artist and human being.”
It was during his tenure, that Pope Pius IX initiated the Feast of Christ the
King (to be celebrated on the last Sunday in October). Thus, Fr. Gimenez was
the first to introduce the procession of Christ the King through the decorated
streets of Saddar in October 1926.
It is however, in the year 1927 that the local branch of the Apostleship of
Prayer conceived the idea of erecting a monument that would be a striking and
splendid manifestation of the love and devotion to the Scared Heart of Jesus.
To translate this dream into reality, the Catholics of Karachi and surrounding
areas got together and formed a General Board consisting of about 26 members,
Rev. Fr. Gimenez was the President, Mr. R.A.M D’Silva as General Secretary and
Mr. C. S. Lobo as General Treasurer.The sole surviving member of the Executive
Committee of this Board is Mr. J. P. Lobo, father of His Lordship Bishop
Anthony Lobo.
In addition to this, 14 Catholic Associations connected with the parish and
representative of the Local Bodies and Public Officials numbering close to
about 80 persons also went about collecting donations, expediting the work of
planning, overseeing construction etc.
The Monument was designed by Mr. M. X Andrade and the construction of this
noble work of art was supervised by the late Mr. August Rodrigues, retired
Superintendent Engineer Public Works Dept., Bombay Presidency, who gave his
services gratis. The marble for this monument was imported from Carara, Italy
through M/s. Anthony Coutinho and Company. The Statue of Christ the King
installed high above the ground was a gift from Major Quadros of Cincinatus
Town, Karachi.
The crypt with seating capacity for about 150 people was well ventilated and
two thought provoking murals - one of heaven and the other of hell, were the
works of a Mr. Vaz, an artist specially invited from Goa. The crypt also houses
a replica of St. Francis Xavier. The total cost of the monument was Rs.81,500/-
The elaborate programme chalked out to celebrate the occasion of the
inauguration of the monument lasted for nine days and was one of the most
memorable the city has ever seen. To ensure efficiency 11 committee were formed
such as Congress committee, Music committee, Stage committee, Pageant
committee, Procession committee, Street Decoration committee and an
Accommodation committee which in cooperation with the Daughters of the Cross
made arrangements for the lodging of visitors from out of Karachi, at the
adjoining St. Joseph’s Convent. Arrangements were also made to pick these
visitors up from the railway station and the Seaport.
After four years of planning and construction the monument was finally
completed. In the evening of October 17, 1931 there was an impressive
investiture ceremony of the new Knight of St. Gregory the Great followed by the
famous Passion play which was held at St. Patrick’s School Playhall. This play
was on the lines of the famed play performed at Oberammergau, Upper Bavaria,
Germany which is held once every 10 years.
The text of the Scriptures are followed as closely as possible and the words
spoken by Our Lord from the Last Supper to the Resurrection as recorded in the
four Gospels were faithfully reproduced in the course of the play. This play
was organized and directed by Rev. Fr. Lllorens S.J. The musical accompaniments
were selected from Handel’s “Messiah”, Palestrina, Victoria and the Plain Chant
of the Church.
Over two hundred people took part in this play which ran for four days, to
packed houses. Incidentally, this was the first time that microphones and loud
speakers were used at a function at St. Patrick’s. These arrangements were made
by M/s. Hayden and Company.
The next day a Pontifical High Mass was celebrated followed by the opening of
the Congress of Catholic Action, by His Excellency the Delegate Apostolic to
the East Indies, Mgr. Leo P. Kierkels C.P. After a short inaugural address and
the reading of the telegram send by the Holy Father, the hymn to Christ the
King was sung.
In the evening, after a short speech by the President of the Executive Board,
Rev. Fr. Gimenez, the monument was blessed by His Excellency Mgr. Kierkels C.P.
During this ceremony the main gates of the Cathedral Compound were also
blessed. These gates were put up as a security measure. (Previously the
Cathedral compound had no gates, just a low boundary wall around its perimeter.)
This ceremony was attended by a very, very large segment of society including
many non-Catholics. Church officials from this part of the world, priests and
religious from all over India also joined the thousands of local laity in this
solemn moment.
During the week Masses were held at the Monument by the different organizations
of the parish and a Congress of Catholic Action was held for three days
pondering over such aspects as Catholic social actions, means and organizations
of Catholic action, education for Catholic action, etc.
On Oct. 24, 1931 a Solemn Triduum began in the morning at the monument. The
service included exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Rosary, sermon
and Benediction. Sunday Oct, 25, 1931 was the last day of the celebrations. The
day began with Mass at the Monument. Immediately after the Mass the list of the
names of all subscribers to the monument was deposited permanently in a
receptacle at the foot of the column.
At 8 a.m. there was exposition of the Blessed sacrament and Pontifical Mass.
This was followed by thirteen hours of Adoration during the day. Later, at
about 6 p.m., a two mile long procession led by the band of St. Patrick’s Cadet
Corps., and followed by parishioners dressed as various characters of the
Bible, Officials of the Church, the various societies attached to the Church
and Catholics from Karachi and outside.
Furthermore, Mr. Jamshed Nusserwanji Metha, President of the Municipal
Corporation led a large section of non-Catholics who also took part in the
procession.
The Blessed Sacrament was taken around on a beautiful float, present on which
also were the Delegate Apostolic and the Bishops of Lahore and Nagpur. The tail
of the procession left the Cathedral about an hour after the band and after the
proceeding through the streets of Saddar which included Clarke Street, Frere
Street, Wellington Street, Mansfield Street and finally returning to the
Catholic compound via Clarke Street.
Before solemn benediction and Papal Blessing, the city of Karachi was
consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and blessings asked for all of India.
After the service, colorful fireworks lit up the night sky and as a cool
October wind kissed the statue of Our Lord, the faithful made their way home
imbued with a spirit to give glory to God in the highest.
Today,on its 80th anniversary , the monument is greatly damaged by the ravages
of weather and time. Parts of it are broken and unless, drastic measures are
taken to repair and save the structure it may not survive to see its century.
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