Mangaluru: The renaming of the Falnir Road was held near the Kankanady circle here, on July 5.
The programme began with an invocation. Alwyn Rosario welcomed the gathering.
Superior of Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity, Sr Bernadeth unveiled the plaque with the new road name “Mother Teresa Road” at the KankanadyJunction.
Addressing the gathering, Mayor Jacintha Alfred said that Mother Teresa had served humanity in a big way by providing food and shelter to the neglected and the downtrodden. “She picked the destitutes from the streets and rehabilitated them. When people were neglected by their own, she was always there. Mother Teresa started to look after the ‘poorest among the poor’, those who were dying on the streets. She provided a place for the destitute to die with dignity and comfort. To remember her work, we have renamed the Falnir Road after Mother Teresa. Her service towards humanity is a great gift to all of us.”
Sr Bernadeth said, “May Mother Teresa, who served Jesus in the poorest of the poor, be an inspiration to each one of you. Her message is that we have been created for greater things to love and to be loved.”
Parish Priest of Milagres Church Fr Valerian D’Souza, Corporators Vinay Raj andNaveen D’Souza, Savil Mascarenhas, Judith Mascarenhas, Fr Michael Santhumayor, Ivan D’Souza and others were also present.
Molly D’Souza compered the programme.
Sir,
The state govt did not name the road it was the corporation which suggested the same.
This road name was a tussle between Shivram Karanth and Mother Theresa.
Then it was revealed that this road in 1964 was named after a lady Mary Britto who was a freedom fighter, a municipal councillor un contested for 23 years from Falnir ward.
Was responsible for widening hampangatta – kankanady road which was a narrow 15 feet lane.
The sisters who were Noble enough refused to dishonour this lady and thus the name remained the same and no board was installed.
She was the founder member of the Congress in Mangalore and it is shocking that the members today don’t have any regard to a freedom fighter ex congress founder/councillor and a social worker.
She has done a lot for the poor in Mangalore.
Thank you, dear Mayor Jacinta, for your timely effort in naming the Falnir Road as Mother Theresa Road. Very soon when Blessed Mother Theresa is proclaimed as a Saint this road will become more prominent than ever before. Falnir has always been an elite road that linked Hampankatta and Kankanady. The name can always be short-named as MT ROAD for purpose of convenience, but it is amazing to know and tell the whole world that we now have a MOTHER THERESA ROAD that virtually links my beloved Kankanady School and the Milagres School where I have spent more than seven years of my school journey that has taken me to some of the major Highways and Skyiways of the beautiful World.
I do not know why Mary Britto is a forgotten name in Mangalore. Mary Britto has dedicated a great deal of her time towards the welfare of Mangalore. I know how Mary Britto has worked hard with many other Council Members during her time and dedicated for the cause of Mangalore. Again, the family of Mary Britto have to come forward and give much more to the City, and that is the added strength for remembering the name of late Mary Britto. We remember her well, and so also many Brittos that lived in and around Falnir Road.
We do not need to name any roads after Mother Theresa. She has been already accepted as a Saint by billions even before declaring her as Saint. We shouldn’t change the name of the road once named after a freedom fighter, that too a lady. Mary Britto’s name should be reinstated. I know there are quite a few Mangalorean Catholics have sacrificed their fortune for the betterment of Mangalore. They should be remembered.
Blessed Theresa was one of the greatest souls that lived. But she would Never Dishonor anyone to gain honor.
With all due respects to her my only question to the members of the naming committee is , aren’t there enough nameless roads to choose from, do you have to Dishonor someone to Honor someone else ? Mother theresa was too noble to do so.