“Our Immaculate Mother is our Queen President and under her maternal direction and help, we hope to do wonders…” (Fr Founder). Mgr RFC Mascarenhas the Servant of God and the beloved Founder of our Congregation has bequeathed a rich heritage. His obsessive desire was to ‘preach the good news’ to the poor and the neglected. With dauntless courage he launched into fresh initiatives for the development of the people especially women and girl children. His great dream of building a transformed society was undertaken through various kinds of charitable, welfare and developmental activities since 1921. However it is in 1998, September 28th a formal Trust was registered in the Province named as Jeevandhara Social Service Trust ®. This Trust has created a visible platform to spread far and near the social endeavours of the Province. The Trust continues to inspire, guide and direct the social action ministry.

Forming women groups, training them to be self assertive, ensuring their rights, building alliance and planning campaigns are some of the key activities. Conducting programmes on income generation, increasing the level of the standard of living and training in vocational skills have made our women economically self reliant.  With the help of the Province and Caritas India around 100 women self help groups were created and sustained upto 2012. Due to the introduction of LIC schemes many of them were fallen apart. Few of them are functioning independently and rely on the Trust for services and guidance. Leadership, competence and self reliance are the indicators of their performance and development.

Presently the strategies are changing as the approach to development has a paradigm shift from developmental approach to Rights based approach. It has been introduced in our capacity building programmes at all levels. Hence participation, Advocacy, Lobbying, Policy network, Networking and movement buildings have become credible strategies to name and shame the duty bearers and the rights holders. ‘Right to information Act’ and  redress mechanisms call on us to work with the Government, non-government  agencies, church based organizations and other people of goodwill to work together to make this world a better place to live in.

Mangalore Province is the base of socio-pastoral mission.  It is a rare jewel, and a desired destination of many for its unique contribution to the social, economic and cultural richness. Bethany is privileged to serve the rural masses, especially the girl children, women and youth and disadvantaged people of our society. Bethany has tremendous capacity to connect all members of the family of Bethany be it in pastoral, educational, social action, or health care and work harmoniously with different groups of people to form a just and humane society – the Reign of God. With mother Mary, Bethany can truly magnify the Lord for His transforming presence as salt, leaven and light, not losing sight of her human failures to realize fully her potential to be the sign of the Kingdom.