Caritas India, CODP, Mangaluru and Parivarthan Charitable Trust Host ‘Chinthana Manthana’ for Transgender Inclusion and Hope

In the wider context of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025, celebrated globally as a “Jubilee of Hope” under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” CODP, Caritas India, and Parivarthan Charitable Trust organised “Chinthana Manthana” on 14 December 2025 in Mangaluru for 25 transgender participants, offering a concrete journey of hope and inclusion. The programme, held in and around the Christmas season, sought not only to listen to the struggles of the transgender community but to actively accompany them towards social inclusion, dignity, and equal opportunity.

The event began with a prayer and a Christmas cake‑cutting ceremony, symbolically placing transgender participants at the heart of the celebration and affirming that they belong to the social and spiritual life of the community. Fr. Vincent D’Souza, Director of CODP, welcomed the gathering, joined by Chief Guest Dr. Rohan S. Monis (Kanachur Hospital), Ms. Sanjana Chalavadi (President, Parivarthan Charitable Trust), Fr. Anil Fernandes (Director, Canara Communication Centre), Fr. Lawrence Cutinha (Assistant Director, CODP) and Mr. Robert D’Souza (State Programme Associate, Caritas India).

In her moving address, Ms. Sanjana shared the vulnerabilities and daily discrimination faced by her community, stressing that genuine public acceptance is key to resolving many of the challenges transgender individuals encounter. She underlined that education, dignified employment, and secure housing are essential for community members to move away from begging and sex work, and explained that gender transition is often a medical necessity driven by hormonal changes, appealing for a response rooted in humanity and love. On behalf of her community, she paid tribute to Ms. Violet Pereira of Mangaluru, whose mentorship helped build her confidence and leadership within Parivarthan Charitable Trust.

Connecting the programme to the spirit of the Jubilee of Hope, Fr Vincent D’Souza shared that CODP and partners will continue to “journey with” the transgender community as pilgrims of hope by facilitating their coming together as a group and supporting the formation of Self‑Help Groups (SHGs). He emphasised that CODP will educate participants in computer and digital skills and help link them to opportunities that can lead to dignified jobs, reducing dependence on precarious and exploitative work. He further stressed that organising meetings on different platforms and enabling close interactions with the general public will help society better understand the struggles, aspirations, and concerns of transgender persons, thereby breaking stereotypes and building bridges of empathy.

The programme also highlighted concrete institutional commitments that support this journey of hope and mainstreaming. Dr. Rohan S. Monis pledged Kanachur Hospital’s support for health‑related needs and outreach, promising non‑discriminatory access to healthcare services. Rev. Fr. Anil Fernandes offered his professional expertise in digital literacy and technical training, opening pathways for participants to enhance their skills and employability in an increasingly digital world.

Community representative Mr. John D’Souza observed that “Chinthana Manthana” successfully bridged the gap between the general public and the transgender community, and urged that similar platforms be created in educational institutions and other public spaces where mindsets are shaped. The programme, anchored by Mr. Robert D’Souza, concluded with gifts for participants as a token of appreciation, a vote of thanks by Fr. Lawrence Cutinha and a shared lunch, standing as a living sign that hope becomes real when communities walk together—from exclusion to inclusion, from stigma to dignity, from the margins to the mainstream.