Alphonsus Mathias

Childhood

Born on 22nd June 1928 at Innaje, Pangala Parish of then Mangalore diocese (now Udupi) then south Kanara district (now Udupi) to Diego Mathias and Philomena D’Souza. Alphonsus was the 4th among the five siblings namely Esthel, Francis, Antony, and Monica. His parents were agricultural farmers. He studied at St. Johns primary school shankarpura run by the Pangala parish for his primary education classes I-IV, Upper primary school education from V to VII standard at the Don Bosco upper primary school Shirva. High school from VIII to X standard was completed at the Milagres high school Kallianpur. After completing SSLC he decided to join the St. Josephs Seminary in Mangalore to continue his studies for priesthood. He was inspired by the example of the then parish priest Fr. Basel Feres who later became the bishop of Mangalore. he was also inspired by his priest teachers at the high school, he was one of the brightest students at the high school so they all encouraged him to go for priesthood.

Life at the seminary Mangalore

As he was in the boarding during his high school studies he did not feel separation from his family and got easily accustomed to the rules and regulations of the seminary from dawn to dusk. Since the teaching at the seminary was all in Latin, he got proficient in reading and writing Latin and English

Life at the seminary in candy Sri Lanka

After Two and half years at the St. Josephs Seminary Mangalore he was selected to go to the Pontifical seminary at Candy in the then country called Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Alphonsus was there in candy for the first hosting of the Sri Lankan Flag ushering independence of Sri Lanka in 1948. The Pontifical seminary at Candy was directly under the pope’s guidance for the training of priests from the various countries of Asia. There were students from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh etc. Fr. Aloysius D’Souza who later became the Vicar general of Mangalore Diocese and himself were the only two from the Mangalore clergy to have been trained at Candy. Alphonsus has the distinction of being one among the two to be trained in psychology and theology with master degree in both. In the seven years stay at Candy he was permitted to have a month holiday after three years of psychology to come home and be with his family for a month.

Ordained priest

Alphonsus was ordained priest at Candy (Sri Lanka) on 24th August 1954 and towards the end year he returned home to celebrate his first mass for the family at Pangala St Johns the Evangelist church in the present church building, attended by most Rev. Dr. Basil Feres who had sent Alphonsus to the seminary who was now the bishop of Mangalore. Soon after that Alphonsus was assigned to be the assistant parish priest of St. Joseph’s Parish Bajpe for next 8 months when he was asked to proceed to Rome for a Doctorate in Cannon Law.

Travel to Vatican and Studies on cannon Law

In the year 1955 September Alphonsus left to Rome by an Italian passenger Linear ship from Bombay (now Mumbai) touching Karachi port in Pakistan, Port Saied in Egypt passing through the Suez Canal and mediterrian finally reaching Naples in Italy after sailing for 13 days. Alphonsus had then a long beard and thinking it was not appropriate to keep it when he reached Rome, he dropped it in the Bay of Naples to the surprise of all his friends. Alphonsus began his studies from 1955 to 1959 very close to the Vatican City and so to say under the very eye of Pope Pius the 12th. In 1959 Alphonsus completed his 4 years of continuous studies at the university of Proganda Fide, and Lateran University at Rome. Alphonsus obtained a double doctorate in cannon and international civil law. While studying in Rome Alphonsus visited almost all the countries of Europe and during his summer holidays working in some parishes and earning to cover his travel expenses. Travelling to countries gave him a big cultural boost.

Celebrating mass on the Calvary

While returning to India in 1959 he flew to Athens (Greece) to see the Greek culture and from there to Tel Aviv (Israel). After spending a week on Pilgrimage to the sacred places in the holy Land, Alphonsus had the privilege of celebrating mass on the Calvary and on the tomb of our lord. he also had a dip in the Dead Sea which for him was all memorable experiences. From Tel Aviv he flew to Cairo to fulfill my childhood dream to see the Pyramids of Egypt and Sphinx. From Egypt he flew to Karachi in Pakistan to meet some of his classmates from Candy and from there he flew to Bombay and from Bombay to Mangalore. Taking these flights was exceptional those days and he considers it as unique as he travelled alone without and companion. Alphonsus did all this travelling to improve his cultural baggage as well as thinking that he may not get a second opportunity.

Back to Mangalore from Rome

Even before Alphonsus reached Mangalore he was appointed the secretary to the bishop of Mangalore most Rev. Dr. Raymond D’mello who had succeeded most Rev. Basil Feres who died in the ship while sailing to Rome.

Appointed Bishop

Having worked in the Mangalore diocese from 1959 to 1963 Alphonsus was appointed as a first bishop to the new diocese of Chikmagalur. Alphonsus was ordained bishop there on 5th of February 1964 by most Rev. James Knox the Vatican representative (NUNCIO) in New Delhi. The appointment as a Bishop made him one of the youngest bishops of India at the young age of 35. In October 1964 he attended the 3rd session of the great event of the church “the second Vatican council” and today he is one among the two surviving bishop in India who participated in the Vatican council which is absolutely an unique privilege which he treasures with deep Faith and attachment.

Appointed Arch Bishop of Bangalore

Having worked strenuously for 23 years to build the new diocese of Chikmagalur consisting of three Malnad districts namely Shimoga, chickmagalur and Hassan districts bishop Mathias was promoted as the Arch bishop of Bangalore on 3rd December 1986. During his tenure as Arch bishop of Bangalore from 1986 to 1998 he had all the opportunities if being in charge of St. Johns National Academy of health sciences as well as St. Peters Pontifical seminary for training priests in Bangalore. I was elected chairman of several commissions of the catholic Bishop’s conference of India “CBCI”. In 1989 bishop Mathias was elected as the president of CBCI for two terms (1989 to 1993) bishop Mathias shouldered several responsibilities both on the Asian level on the “FABC” Federation of Asian Bishop’s conference and at the Vatican as a member of the Pontifical commission for the “social communications as well as pontifical commissions for justice and peace”

Retirement

In the year 1998 having reached the age of 70 during which bishop Mathias was bishop for half of his life he decided to resign from his office as arch bishop of Bangalore with the full satisfaction of having done his job to the best of his abilities. Having resigned bishop Mathias retired as Arch Bishop of Bangalore and has taken his residence at St. John’s national academy of health sciences where he finds himself at home for having worked for that institution for several years as chairman. During the past 22 years of retirement he travelled twice to Tanzania in East Africa to lecture in the seminary there and other times did priestly ministries in Ireland, Scotland, Whales and London and other places. Having entered his 92nd year bishop Mathias is staying peacefully at St. John’s national academy of health sciences enjoying his leisure.

• catholic-hierarchy.org