Udupi diocese initiates the cause of capuchin priest Fr.Alfred Roche for sainthood in the church

Udupi diocese initiates the cause of capuchin priest Fr.Alfred Roche for sainthood in the church

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, August 15, 2021: Udupi diocese, after authority from the Vatican, initiated the declaration of late Rev Fr. Alfred Roche (Jan 3, 1924 – Dec 31, 1996) a capuchin priest born and served in Brahmavar, and local areas,  as a ’Servant of God’ (SG) at a solemn mass on Sunday, August 15, 2021. Udupi Bishop Bishop Rev Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, officiated at the  rituals at  Holy Family Parish, Brahmavar, assisted by leading Capuchins of the province and several priests.  There was a good attendance of nuns and enthusiastic lay parishoners at the ceremony following strict Covid protocols.  The grave in the parish was blessed and decorated where many paid their tribute with devotion.  

The bishop extolled the wonderful saintly, priestly and human qualities of the ’Servant of God’  (SG) Fr. Alfred Roche and all his good works for the people in the region, which has been remembered from time to time by the Capuchin congregation and people of Kanara and kept alive.  The bishop and all the various speakers at the ceremony expressed the fitting qualities of SG Fr.Alfred to be a candidate for sainthood.  He is also the first from the community of Udupi to receive this honour  and it is hoped that the complicated and time consuming process first locally and then in the Vatican will come to fruition as quickly as possible by the grace of God.  SG Fr. Alfred is the second candidate after  SG Mgr Raymond F C Mascarenhas was declared ’Servant God’ in 2008,  the  first from the Karnataka Konkani catholics, his cause has completed it’s local investigations and the matter is under investigations at the Vatican.  In the case of SG Fr.Alfred,  the bishops of Karnataka and others too have gladly approved the cause.

It was also explained that this ritual today is only a preliminary announcement.  Very shortly the actual process will officially commence once all the details are sorted out and officials for the various commissions and so on will be put in place.  Tremendous amounts of information and material evidence needs to be gathered and systematically documented under the Postulator of the cause.  It is fortunate that several facts are known to local people as much of life was spent here,  his grave is also there in good shape, medical investigations too will be done at a suitable time.  Let us look at a few life details of the this saintly  priest  and now officially ’Servant of God’ the first step in the process:  

Early Life :
• April 3, 1924: Born Peter John Roche Moodahadu Kudru, a small island near Barkur in South Kanara is part of St Peter’s Church Barkuru- Son of Isaac Roche and Carmine Monteiro.  •  April 12, 1924:   Baptized at St. Peter’s Church, Barkur, in the diocese of Mangalore, (presently diocese of Udupi),by Rev.Fr. Denis J. D’Souza. His baptismal name was Peter John Roche. •  Feb 3, 1944: Vested at Monte Mariano, Farangipet, in the diocese of Mangalore with the new name ’Alfred’, according to the former practice of changing the name in religion. Fr Ambrose Rebello, OFM Cap was his novice master.  •  April 11, 1945: First Profession.

Priestly studies and service :
• Philosophical Studies: At St. Anthony’s Friary, Quilon, Kerala.  •  April 11, 1949: Final Profession at St. Antony’s Friary, Quilon, Kerala.  • Theological Studies: at Amalarshram, Trichy, Tamilnadu, and at St. Joseph’s Firary, Kotagiri, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.  • April 11, 1952: Sacerdotal Ordination at St. Joseph’s friary, Kotagiri, Nilgiris, Tamilnadu.  • April 14, 1952: was appointed the vice-novice master at Monte Mariano, Farangipet, in the diocese of Mangalore. While assisting the novice-master in the work of formation, he rendered his pastoral service in the friary chapel and neighboring parishes. 

• April 6, 1956: was appointed the parish priest of the Holy Family Church at Brahmavar in the diocese of Mangalore (presently the diocese of Udupi).  Fr. Alfred Roche was the first Capuchin to work in this parish. He rendered his dedicated service for 18 years.  As the parish priest he encouraged vocation promotion and several young boys and girls became priests and religious. To mention a few Capuchins: Fr. Dayanand, Fr. Vincent Furtado, Fr. Reginald Furtado, Fr. Charles Furtado, Fr Francis Furtado. Seeing that the level of education was very low and that the youth were not able to pursue their studies due to economic reasons, he helped several of them with the help of the benefactors, both from India and abroad.   *  July 18,  1972: He was transferred to St. Ann’s Church Binaga in the diocese of Belgaum (today diocese of Karwar) as the parish priest, his 3 years tenure was of great significance. 
•  April 30, 1975: He took charge of St. Joseph’s Parish at Lower Kasarkod, in the diocese of Belgaum (today diocese of Karwar).   • In June 1981 he was transferred to the novitiate fraternity at Monte Mariano, Farangipet as the superior (guardian) where he rendered his service for six years with his exemplary life.  •  June 1, 1987: once again he was transferred to Lower Kasarkod as the parish priest of St. Joseph’s Church and the superior (guardian) of St. Joseph’s Friary. During this term of office for 6 years, while deepening the faith of the flock, bringing about concord and peace among the members of different families was one of the important missions of the good pastor. It was during this term of office that he built the new friary next to the church.

The sun sets :
• In 1994, as a retired friar, Fr. Alfred was transferred to Holy Family Friary as the vicar of the fraternity and to help out in the Holy Family Church, wherein, in spite of his declining health, he rendered his generous service till the end.  • Dec 31,  1996:  At 5.30 am came the final call from above at Fr. Muller’s Hospital, Mangalore through a cardiac attack.  • Jan. 1, 1997: The Funeral Mass was celebrated in the Holy Family Church, Brahmavar. It was officiated by his Lordship Aloysius D’Souza, the Bishop of Mangalore, along with Rev. Fr. Vincent Furtado OFM Cap, the Provincial Minister, and very many priests and religious along with thousands of lay people coming from far and near. Good number of Hindus too had come to participate in the funeral rite and to bid good-bye to their “gurugalu” (respected teacher).   Owing to the special request of the faithful of Holy Family Church, Brahmavar, the provincial definitory granted the permission to have the body of Fr. Alfred Roche to be buried in the Parish Cemetery of Holy Family Church, Brahmavar where he had served for 18 years. His tomb is visited by many, and he is now a saint in the making in this holy land of Kanara, there are high hopes that the cause will successfully come to fruition as per God’s will.