Rt. Rev. Msgr. R.F.C. Mascarenhas
23-01-1875 to 23-12-1960

Rt. Rev. Msgr. R.F.C. Mascarenhas The Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany
Manglore. 23-01-1875 to 23-12-1960

Rt. Rev. Msgr. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, under whose patronage this school was established, was consumed by an indefatigable zeal for the education of the poor and the marginalized especially the rural girls. He longed for the total emancipation of Indian women and was convinced that it could not be achieved without education. His spirit of services was supported by a strong scaffolding of prayer and faith in God. He was a man of vision, down to earth and compassionate. His penetrating vision enabled him to look far ahead and directed his works to fulfill the future needs. His charisma can be summarized in one phrase “service born out of love.”

Fr Raymond was born on 23 January 1875 to Joanna and Lazarus Mascarenhas of Mangalore, then residing at Shimoga. Having completed his academic and priestly training in Mangalore, he was ordained priest on 4 March 1900.

He rendered pastoral service at Kallianpur, Udyavar and Agrar. At St Sebastian’s Bendur, Monsignor was the founder parish priest from 1914 to 1931.

A man with deep God experience, far sighted vision and deep intellectual insight and obsessed with the idea of sharing God’s love especially with the poor, he read the signs of the times and founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany in the year 1921 at Bendur to provide an opportunity to those who desirous of answering the call of God to religious life and to cater to the pastoral care of the people and educational needs of rural children, especially girls.

He was a man of God, known to be a compassionate pastor, an eloquent speaker and powerful preacher, an efficient administrator, an eminent educationist and a writer. Having served as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore from 1931 to 1941 he continued to direct the Congregation that he founded. He dared to tread the unbeaten paths, where others dared not, while taking up new initiatives. In recognition of his valuable services the Holy Father, Pope Pius the XII conferred on him the title – Domestic Prelate.

He slept in the Lord on 23 December 1960 at the age of 86. He was declared SERVANT OF GOD, on 3 June 2008 by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore. It is the first step in the process of beatification and canonization.

The public function on the 50th death Anniversary -23.12.2010

Faitful at the Holy Eucharist

Inaguration of the Diocesan Inquiry of the Servant of God

Sr. Lillis, the Postulator gives the list of witnesses to the Bishop

Grave of the Servant of God

Mgr RFC Mascarenhas declared Servant of God by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore