Mangaluru: ‘Besanv’ (Blessing) a Konkani devotional audio album produced and directed by Fr Rupesh Madtha, the YCS/ YSM director for the city's diocese and Winston Madtha, was released at Holy Redeemer Church, Beltangady on Sunday November 13. Parish priest Fr Bonaventure Nazareth released the audio album for the first time in the history of the parish. The Holy Mass before the programme was offered by Fr Rupesh and his brother Fr Rajesh Madtha OCD, chaplain at St Paul’s Hospital, British Colombia and Vancouver, Canada.

The album contains 12 devotional hymns of which 10 are from Fr Rupesh and one each from Joel Pereira and Wilfy Fernandes. Joel Pereira and Roshan D’Souza brought about music harmonizing and arrangement. A few prominent singers Shilpa Cutinha, Prajoth D’Sa, Lydwin Cutinha, Ashwin D’Costa, Nihal Tauro etc lent their voice.

The album is dedicated to late archbishopMost Dr Ambrose Madtha, the Papal Nuncio to Ivory Coast from 2008 – 2012. He expired in a car accident on December 8 at Ivory Coast. The late Nuncio was the uncle of Fr Rupesh and Winston.

The release function was witnessed by family members, donors, singers and more than a thousand parishioners. Priyanka Madtha compered the short programme and Fr Rupesh delivered a note of introduction and especially acknowledged the encouragement extended by the Bishop of Mangaluru Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza. Donors and singers were later honored. Fr Bonaventure, parish priest delivered a note of appreciation after the release.

The album is also created in support of YCS/YSM activities in the diocese. The day of release is also the 134th birthday of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of YCS. Lavita D’Souza and Aroline D’Souza from YCS contributed their voices for a song on the album.