The Bombay Caholic Sabha, Unit of The Church of St. Joseph the Worker was established in Bandra East in the year 1991and revived with full gusto in the year 2005. Since it’s inception for the past 21 years the Sabha has been promoting humanitarian work namely various schemes for the needy irrespective of caste, creed and other Social Awareness and Educational activities for the underprivileged residents of Bandra East. Other activities conducted by the Sabha in Bandra East include free Medical Check Ups, Blood Donation Drives, Dental, Eyes & Bone Density Check Ups under the supervision of qualified Doctors and Financial Aid towards the Home for Aged, Leprosy, AIDS patients and few Rehabilitation Centers.

Monthly Activities from June to November 2019

The new Executive Committee of the Unit of the Church of St. Joseph the Worker for the year 2019 – 2022 was formed in the month of June 2019.

Since it’s formation the Unit has organized various activities pertaining to the Parish, Social, Inter-Religious, Educational & Youth Affairs. A short snippet of each is listed below:

Parish & Social Level:

1. Blood Donation Drive: Our unit in association with Think Foundation organized a Blood Donation drive in aid of Thalassemia patients on Sunday 18thAugust in the Church Basement. We received 46 Registrations out of which 34 were successful donors.
2. Pinning of Flags: In order to invoke a sense of patriotism in our own small way, the BCS members pinned flags on every parishioner attending the morning masses on 15thAugust and distributed chocolates as well.
3. Membership Drive: In order to garner maximum support towards our Parish Unit, we conducted a membership drive on every Saturday and Sunday of the month.
4. Sale of Snacks: In order to fund petty expenses and to raise monthly funds for our unit, members sold Snacks after every morning mass on Sunday.

Inter-Religious Level:

1. Distribution of Snacks & Water during Ganesh Chaurthi: In order to foster communal harmony and show solidarity towards brothers and sisters of other faiths, our unit distributed Wada Pav and Water to all Ganesh Chaturthi processions from 2 locations on the 12thof September. One location being our own Parish and another at one of the Sarvajanik Ganesh Pandals in Bandra East. We managed to serve over 300 devotees.
2. Rangoli Competition: A competition involving 3 Schools in Bandra East was organized in our Parish on Sunday 20thOctober. This activity was well appreciated by Principals of non-Catholic participating Schools.

Education & Youth Affairs:

1. Felicitation of Students: In order for students of our Parish to perform well in their exams each year, the BCS members felicitated all those students that secured 70% & above in their SCC, HSC, TY & PG examinations with a Certificate and Cash Prize on August 15th.
2. Best Out of Waste Competition: On Sunday November 10th, an activity/competition inculcating the practice of Reuse & Recycling was conducting for the children of our Parish from Std 5thto 10thin the Parish Hall. It was amazing to see how young minds were so creative and made the best out of waste from articles used/discarded in our daily lives.

Upcoming Activities

1. Sunday 05th Jan 2020: Neighborhood Children’s Get-Together (around 150 children)
2. Sunday 12th Jan 2020: Visit to Mukta Jeevan that caters to the AIDS & Leprosy patients in Shahapur, Mah.
3. Felicitation of newly elected MP’s & MLA’s from Bandra East

Office Bearers (2019 – 2022)

1. Mr. Lany Fernandes: Chairperson
2. Mrs. Maria Fernandes: Vice Chairperson
3. Mr. Anthony Rodgers: Vice Chairperson
4. Mr. Melroy Alphonso: Secretary
5. Mrs. Rosy Fernandes: Jt. Secretary
6. Mr. Grenville Fernandes: Treasurer
7. Ms. Veronica Fernandes: Jt. Treasurer