This article was prepared for the public through the Patrician, the local St. Patrick's Church Newsletter so that people who may have known something, came forward.

Nothing unusual about the grave until I began to read the inscription on the tombstone, which proclaimed her to be a Martyr. This year in June 1996, it will make 100 years of her death, and we are trying to find out details about her family and remaining relatives, or if anyone can throw light on her death. It may be a Faith enriching experience for our children. As it is still very early to say how she died, whether she was a holy person who spent time in front of the Blessed Sacrament all the time, or whether she was killed for her Faith, or whether she refused to follow a way that was different to her calling, or tried to keep her chastity, etc.. there can be various thoughts that cross one's mind. Taking into consideration two factors, I bring to you to consider, one that she was really martyred for her Faith or her strong affection for the Blessed Sacrament or secondly, it was a commonly used word at that time. Think for a moment, Reverend Father Taubard was a Frenchman. He has come from a country that still had fresh memories as to what one calls "martyrs!!" during the French Revolution and other uprisings, so definitely he was aware of the meaning of a martyr. There may be skeptics around who may say, how do you say so, well we will just have to wait and see as our research requests have gone around the globe to various corners like Portugal, France, Australia, Middle East, United States, U.K., and in our own shores to Goa, Bombay, Mysore, Madras, Mangalore, Chikkamangalur and surrounding areas.

We could say that she should be treated as a Martyr until proved otherwise. Now surely this would raise a few eyebrows, but there are those around who believe in the possibility of the truth being the same. Why is her grave stone different from the other Pereira Family members? Why was she buried by the Parish Priest not by her family? I have approached His Grace the Archbishop of Bangalore, who also gave some suggestions into the directions we could look, I have received strong support from our own Parish Priest Fr. Francis Xavier, and espically Fr. Ronnie Prabhu, Rector of St. Joseph's College who has put aside a lot of his valuable time in writing to Fr. Renard and Fr. C. Cornu of the Paris Mission Society, who in turn have written to France.

So we have eminent persons who believe that we can come up with some details that would be beneficial to our Parishioners, more so for their children. There is a photograph* of Cora Pereira's tomb put up on the Notice Board at the Main Entrance of St.Patrick's Church, and the same can be found in many other Parishes, where the Parish Priests also feel very strongly about the investigation. I encourage you to go to the Cemetery and see if there is something that strikes you as unusual about the grave of Cora Pereira. * (It was this photograph that Miss. Ann Beck saw and was encouraged to come forward with the story her mother told her 55 years ago, about a Corpus Christi Procession). Should there be anyone who can help in this investigation, please do so and any suggestion or valuable information, no matter how small or how obscure will be treated with due respect.

If however, there are those of you who feel that we all are wasting our time and we shouldn't be digging up the past, they may also send in their observations, and also those who would like to support this investigation, please send in your comments. We are going slow as there is no one except myself who is directly involved in the research, and only when time permits, can I spend scrutinising the various documents of the Church going through the past. We are running out of time, as June is fast approaching, which coincides 100 years since Cora Pereira's death. We have already received a few suggestions, and I acknowledge their ideas, although it would become to long to note individually all those persons There is the Sacred Heart's Altar that has been built by a Mrs. M.G. (Mary Gertrude) Pereira, any suggestions?, and the stone near the main entrance of the Church does bear the names of some Pereira's who were the benefactors in building St. Patrick's Church!! Food for thought. In the Patrician January 1996, this article on Cora Pereira first appeared, subsequently all Issues did carry the progress of the investigation, till it's conclusion in May 1996, with a summary in the June 1996 Issue.

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Thought for the Day:" Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, Fon in the manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did they fathers to the false prophets." Holy Bible: Luke 6:20-26

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