The Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (FKCA) has announced that Jesuit Priest and Human Rights and Peace activist and writer Father Cedric Prakash is to be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Social activists and human rights campaigners are very familiar with the name of Cedric Prakash. He is a Jesuit working in Gujarat. He is also a celebrated ‘son of Mangalore’. He was one of the fearless people who went out of his way to offer shelter and succor to hapless Muslims caught in the Godhra Riots of 2002.
It will be recalled that in 2020, Father Cedric was conferred the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2019’ by the Delhi Minorities Commission, Government of NCT of Delhi.
FKCA is an umbrella organization representing 33 Konkani Catholic Associations in Karnataka and worldwide. It has announced the names of its prestigious award winners for the year 2022.
The awards instituted every year since 1998, to honour Konkani Catholics for their achievement and services not only to the community but also to the country in various fields.
FKCA Chairperson Silvian Noronha, said that the Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred on Father Cedric at the 24th Annual Federation Day of FKCA at St Joseph’s Indian High School Auditorium, Vittal Mallya Road, in Bangalore on Sunday, June 5th, 2022 at 5.00 pm.
Presentation Sister Dorothy Fernandes PBVM, convener of the Forum for Justice and Peace, (of which the Jesuit priest is a member), expressed her happiness at the award to Father Cedric.
“He deserves heartiest congratulations. He is a priest who doesn’t confine himself to the church issues, but is a powerful voice for the minorities and those who are unjustly treated. He doesn’t flinch when speaking truth to power, whether in Gujarat or anywhere in India,” she told Newsnet One.
Father Cedric, when contacted, expressed his thanks to the FKCA for acknowledging the importance of promotion of peace and brotherhood in these times. He stressed that each one of us should look beyond our small confines of religion or caste and speak up for the voiceless and the persecuted.
The Professional Excellence Award will be presented to Justice John Michael Cunha, former Judge, High Court of Karnataka. The Best Entrepreneur/Enterprise of the Year Award will be presented to renowned Enterprise M/S. Brilliant Printers Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, according to a press note from the organisation.
The Federation works for the cause of Konkan Catholics and also in the larger interests of the Konkani Catholic Diaspora. FKCA today puts forth and takes up grievances of the Konkani Catholic community with several governments.
Several luminaries are expected to grace Sunday’s function. Justice V Gopala Gowda, former Judge, Supreme Court of India will be the chief guest. The guests of honour will be K Jayaprakash Hegde, Chairman of the Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission and Former MP & Minister, Government of Karnataka.
Prithvi Reddy, State Convener, Aam Aadmi Party – Bangalore, Abraham TJ, President of the Karnataka Anti-Graft and Environmental Forum & Indian Christian United Forum, and Most Rev. Robert Michael Miranda, Bishop of Gulbarga, will preside over the function.
FKCA which was founded in 1998 in Bangalore now has a global reach. As many as 33 associations of Konkani Catholics in different parts of Bangalore, Mysore, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Shivamogga, and 11 associations in other countries, including the USA, the UK, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai, and Abu Dhabi in UAE are affiliated to FKCA.
33 Konkani Associations honour ‘Fearless Cedric’ added by NEWSNET DESK on
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Congratulations dear Fr. Cedric. You deserve it. You are courageous, bold and firm in expressing your views. Thank you for being what you are. We are proud of you. May God bless you and continue working through you. All the best.