THE BOMBAY SEMINARY: The Invitation Card (1960)

The Inauguration of the Goregaon Seminary on October 5, 1960 was ‘the culmination of many hopes, the fulfilment of many dreams.’ The new Seminary was declared open by His Eminence Gregory Peter Cardinal Agagianian, Pro-Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda and Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians.

The Cardinal Prefect arrived on October 4, 1960 at Santa Cruz airport to a rousing welcome. As the Souvenir states: ‘Three receptions  were  given  in  the  Cardinal Prefect’s honour that evening, one by the Governor, Sri Prakasa, at Raj Bhavan another by the Mayor, Mr. V. N. Desai, on behalf of the Municipal Corporation  and  a  third  by  His  Eminence  Valerian Cardinal  Gracias  in  the  brightly  coloured  Ball Room  of the  Taj  Mahal  Hotel.   This last was attended by a distinguished gathering of about five hundred people, including high church dignitaries as well as high ranking State officials.

 There were besides the Cardinals and Bishops, the Governor Mr. Sri Prakasa, the Chief Minister, Mr. Y. B. Chavan, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice- Admiral Katari, Mr. K. M. Munshi, Mr. Nayar, Mr. G. L. Mehta, members of the Consular Corps and Papal Knights. His Eminence, the Cardinal Prefect went round talking freely and affably to the guests to whom he was introduced.   There seemed to be a happy commingling of everybody present, especially of the church dignitaries and the State officials, a sure sign of the harmonious relations existing between the Church and the State Government.’