Category Archives: News & Events

GCSofUSA proudly invites all to celebrate 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Fr. Mari Joseph Arogyapaa.

GCSofUSA proudly invites all to celebrate 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Fr. Mari Joseph Arogyapaa.

Dear Friends,

Gujarati Catholic Samaj of USA proudly invites all to celebrate 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Fr. Mari Joseph Arogyapaa. He was ordained on April 28, 1994.

Fr. Mari Joseph has been visiting USA since 2009 and with every visit he has spent few days with us and blessed us with holy Eucharist, spiritual guidance. He has invited any member of our GCSofUSA visiting Gujarat, to his place for lunch or dinner.

Fr. Britto Salvadore is also on a US tour with Fr. Mari Joseph. So Fr. Mari Joseph will be the main celebrant of the Holy Eucharist and Fr. Britto will assist him.

Place: The Church of the Sacred Heart
149 South Plainfield Avenue
South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Saturday, October 12, 2019 sharp 6:30PM.

Dinner and rest of the celebration will take place after the mass in the nearby school cafeteria.

The Church of the Sacred Heart
Holy Savior Academy Gym & Cafeteria
149 South Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Please note dinner will be served so please let us know your intention of participation so we can manage the food and beverages accordingly. This is a must attend event.

Fr. Mari Joseph was born in a small village called Shetti halli, in Hassan District of State of Karnataka on March 17, 1962. Out of seven children of Mrs. Amruthamaa and Mr. Arogyappa, he was the Benjamin of the family. He did his elementary schooling in St. Mary’s School, in Shetti Halli then after high school in a neighboring town Hassan. After completing 12th standard in 1989 he joined St. Michael’s seminary Belgauam, St. Joseph’s seminary Ahmedabad, philosophy in St. Pius Seminary Mumbai. He continued his college studies at St. Xavier’s college and finished M.A. in economics, and did his B.Ed in Vallabh Vidyanagar.

He completed his Theology studies in Mumbai with Fr. John. He was ordained on April 28, 1994 as priest. While working in a parish as an assistant, he continued his studies and obtained a degree in Indian Civil Laws and he is registered in Bar Council of Gujarat as a lawyer. He also completed his licentiate in Canon law and was appointed a judge in the inter-diocesan tribunal. He is helping people with trouble marriages to reconcile and make a happy family. 

He served in Vatva School then he worked in legal aid center for some years and assistant priest. Later he was appointed as a parish priest at St. Mary’s Church, Nadiad. Currently he is serving as a parish priest in St. Joseph Church Parish in Karamasad. (Thank you Vicar General Fr. Paresh Parmar for the information)

He has visited us several times since 2009 and with every visit he has spent few days with us and celebrated Holy Eucharist. He has invited any member or our GCSofUSA visiting Gujarat to his place for a lunch or dinner.

Through the mercies of God, we the members of the Gujarati Catholic Samaj of USA would like to take this precious moments to wish you God’s blessings as you mark 25 years since you were ordained as a minister of the gospel, May the love of God be with you and be filled with wisdom and knowledge so that you can serve the people God has placed in your hands. Happy anniversary.

There are total 10 priests this year including Fr. Mari Joseph from Gujarat completed 25 years in holy priesthood. One combined celebration was organized in be beginning of the year on January, 27, 2019 in Khambholaj.  There are two other priest among these 10 has visited us in the past. Fr. Xavier Amalanathan, previous principal of St. Mary’s Mariampura. & none other than our own who spent 11 years with us and who was our good Shepherd, Fr. Alex Clement.

Congratulations to all of them and may God guide them bless them.

Please click here to read the report in “DOOT” March 2019.

Please click here to read the report in “TAM” March 2019.

Fr. Salvador D’Britto.

Fr. D’Britto was born on March 08, 1960 in Nanbhat Village in Vasai, Maharastra. He was ordained on May 01, 1993. He was assistant parish priest at Maninagar and Thasra after ordination. After that he was a parish priest in Christ the King Church, Mission Road, Nadiad. Then he was a parish priest at St. Joseph Church, Maninagar and was also looking after the CTM are with 120 families.  Then he was transferred to St. Mary’s Church, Nadiad and from there to Holy Family Church, Gomtipur. From June 2018 he is at St. Paul Church, Matar.

He was a spiritual advisor to Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul, area council of Ahmedabad from 2007 to 2012. He is very energetic with dynamic personality. He encourages youth, women and help the needy people and does charity work. He does church renovation with latest facilities.

At present Bishop of Ahmedabad Rev Rethna Swamy had appointed him in Laity Apostolate committee. (Thank you Br. Cyril Martin Macwan CTM)

He completed his 25 years as priest in 2018. On February 04, 2018 there was a big celebration in Holy Family Church, Gomtipur. More than 50 priest and more than 30 nuns along with his family were present.

Please click here to read the report of the celebration in “DOOT” March 2018.

The Catholic Church: A Power for Good – International Seminar. October 19, 2019.

The Catholic Church: A Power for Good – International Seminar. October 19, 2019. 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

The seminar organized by Shrine of St. Joseph is the first step in getting Catholics to reinvigorate their faith and live out that faith through action in our communities. The Church has always been the constant element of the bigger picture with the focus of Being Good, Doing Good, and Being A Power For Good, however the recent challenges have impaired the credibility of the Church. The seminar is to invite you to be a movement and to taking pride of who you are as a Catholic and deepen the sense of ownership towards our Mother Church and how we as fellow Catholics are “a power for good.” Come join us on Oct 19, 2019! Please register today….

Please support and vote for Olivia Parmar who is contesting for Maxim Cover Girl 2019.

Please support and vote for Olivia Parmar who is contesting for Maxim Cover Girl 2019.

Olivia Parmar is a daughter of Mrs. Anju and Shaileshkumar Parmar. They are from Anand Gujarat. Several years back they migrated to New Jersey on a family visa then they went back to India. Few years after they came back but instead of east coast they decided to live in west coast – California.

The couple has two children Olivia and Angel and both of them are in modeling, stage performances, dancing, singing and much more.  Along with studies both of them are involved in variety of activities. Olivia is contesting in a Maxim Cover Girl competition and she needs our support. Please logon to your Facebook account and click on the below link to vote for her. Please note the voting costs money. Thank you.

Please click here to vote for Olivia Parmar.