MUMBRA A FRONTIER PARISH

MUMBRA A FRONTIER PARISH

MUMBRA WAS FOR ME A PLACE ONE “HAD TO PASS THROUGH” ON THE WAY TO PUNE OR FURTHER SOUTH TO RAIGAD, RATNAGIRI, SINDUDURG, GOA. IT WAS NOT AN INVITING PLACE TO VISIT OR TO BREAK JOURNEY, NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR A CUP OF TEA.

MUMBRA WAS (AND STILL IS) A DUSTY, POLLUTED, CROWDED PLACE WITH A BURSTING POPULATION CLOSE TO 6 LAKHS, AND 85 % MUSLIM.

THIS IS THE “MUMBRA” I HAD SEEN IN PASSING. THAT IS, UNTILL I VISITED MUMBRA RECENTLY, WALKED THROUGH ITS CROWDED STREETS, SAW DOZENS OF MOSQUES , ATE BYRIANI AND RAITA, SAW THOUSANDS OF MEN IN WHITE KURTA AND FEZ CAP, AND HUNDREDS OF WOMEN IN THEIR BHURKAS WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN, IN CLEAN AND FRESHLY IRONED UNIFORMS ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL.

IN THE MIDST OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE PROPHET, FAITH DESCENDENTS TOO OF ABRAHAM, ISHMAEL, MOSES, RESPECTFUL AND ATTENTIVE LISTENERS OF JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH, STANDS A SMALL CATHOLIC CHURCH, ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER, WITH ABOUT 350 PARISHIONERS. A “FRONTIER PARISH” ONE COULD CALL IT ON THE BOUNDARY OF THANE, NAVI MUMBAI AND RAIGAD DISTRICT.

IN VARIOUS WAYS THIS IS A UNIQUE PARISH IN THE KALIDOSCOPIC EXPAND OF THE DIOCESE OF BOMBAY.

THE SANDS IN THE MUMBRA CREEK,THE RETI BUNDER, THE SAND BARGES AND FAST SAIL BOATS, THE NETS, THE FISHING COMMUNITIES, MADE ME THINK OF PETER AND ANDREW, JOHN AND JAMES, AND OF COURSE JESUS AND MARY ALL OF THEM VENERATED IN THE HOLY QUMRAN.

MUMBRA IS KNOWN TODAY NOT ONLY FOR ITS SMALL HARBOUR AND SAND MINING INDUSTRY BUT ALSO FOR ITS NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. MUMBRA HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT AND AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OF SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES, AMOUNTING TO NO LESS THAN 35 SUCH EDUCATIONAL BODIES. THE VARIOUS MADRASAS ADD TO THE EDUCATION EFFORT OF THIS COMMUNITY WHOSE LITERACY RATIO IS A CREDITABLE 55%.

AFFORDABLE HOUSE RENTS ATTRACKS MANY LOWER MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE. SHORTSTAY SINGLE MEN HAVE MADE IT EASY FOR WANTED CRIMINALS TO SEEK ANONIMITY IN THIS “SAFE” TOWN.

LIKE EVERY FRONTIER PEOPLE ONE LIVES IN BETWEEN TWO REALITIES, THE KNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN. IN A SET UP WELL ESTABLISHED PARISHES WITH THOUSANDS OF PARISHIONERS THE PRIESTS KNOW WELL THEIR DUTIES AND THE NEEDS MATERIAL AND PASTORAL OF THE PEOPLE.

IN A SMALL PARISH, SURROUNDED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF COMMUNITIES OF OTHER CULTURES AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ONE HAS TO CREATE NEW AVENUES THROUGH NEW FORMS OF MINISTRY, DIALOGUE, JUSTICE, NEIGHBOURLINESS, COMPASSION, AND ARDENT DESIRE TO KNOW THE “OTHER”. ABOVE ALL THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY MUST PROJECT ITSEF NOT SO MUCH BY WHAT IS SAYS, BUT BY WHAT IT IS.

LIFE IN THIS PARISH IS CONSTANTLY CHALLENGED, IN A FRIENDLY MANNER, BY ANOTHER CULTURE AND RELIGION. LIKE CHRISTIANS IN DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS SURROUNDINGS HERE TOO DIALOGUE IS IMPERATIVE.

THE HOLY QURAN NOT ONLY VENERATES MANY OF THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN SAINTS BUT IT PROFESSES GREAT RESPECT TOWARDS CHRISTIANS: “ … nearest among them in love to the believers (muslims) wilt thou find those who say ‘we are Christians’: Because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant” (HOLY QURAN S. 5.82).

Say ye: “we belive In allah, and the revelation given to us and to abraham, ismail, issac, jacob and the tribes, and that given to moses and jesus and that given to phrophets from their lord: We make no difference between one and another of them; and we submit to allah” (THE hOLY QURAN).

FROM ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, THANE AND LATER FROM ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, KALWA, A LINE OF COURAGEOUS PASTORS VOLUNTEERED TO ANIMATE THE SMALL COMMUNITY IN THIS “FRONTIER PARISH”. CLUTTERED QUARTERS, SUSPICION, LONELINESS DID NOT DETER THESE MEN FROM THEIR PRIESTLY MINISTRY TO THESE FAMILIES.

LIKE JESUS FIRST DISCIPLES THESE MEN, TOO, LEFT THE “FAMILIAR SHORES AND LAUNCHED INTO THE DEEP, LEAVING THEIR BOATS BEHIND”. FROM THESE LINEs WE SALUTE THESE COURAGEOUS SHEPHERDS AND FISHERMEN: FRS.ANDREW SEQUEIRA, CLARENCE FONSECA, FRANCIS XAVIER, CAJETAN PINTO, VINCENT VAZ, S.J. MAY THEIR TRIBE INCREASE?

FRED SOPENA, S.J. FEBRUARY, 2010.

VINAYALAYA

MAHAKALI CAVES ROAD, ANDHERI EAST,

MUMBAI 400 093.