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{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Maria Emilia Menezes
|native_name =
|native_name_lang =
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|imagesize =
|smallimage = 
|alt =
|caption =
|order =
|office2 = President, [[All India Catholic Union]]
|term_start2 = 2000
|term_end2 = 2004
|predecessor2 = [[Norbert D'Souza]]
|successor2 = [[John Dayal]]
|constituency2 =
|majority =
|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|restingplace =
|restingplacecoordinates =
|birthname =
|citizenship =
|nationality = Indian
|party =
|otherparty = 
|spouse =
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|relations =
|children =
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|alma_mater =
|occupation =
|profession = Industrialist
|cabinet =
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}}
'''Maria Emilia Menezes''' was President of the [[All India Catholic Union]] (AICU) from 2000 until 2004.
She followed [[Norbert D'Souza]] and was succeeded by [[John Dayal]].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://aicuindia.org/officebearers.html
|title = Office Bearers
|publisher = All India Catholic Union
|accessdate = 2012-04-15
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20121220120901/http://aicuindia.org/officebearers.html
|archivedate = 20 December 2012
|df = dmy-all
}}</ref>

Maria Emilia Menezes is an eminent industrialist in [[Goa]]. She was President of the AICU for four years. When elected in 2000 she was the first woman to hold that post.<ref name=Noronha2002/> Soon after her election it was announced that Menezes and Ines Cotta Carvalho, Secretary General of the AICU, were planning to visit Kuwait, Bahrain, the U.A.E. and Oman in October 2000 to raise support for AICU activities.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/message/459
|title=Catholic Association of Goa/All India Catholic Union
|date=1 October 2000
|author=Gaspar Almeida
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>
During her tenure the Union grew rapidly.<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15Oct04-Print-Edition/011510200489.htm
|journal=[[Milli Gazette]]
|date=1–15 October 2004
|title=John Dayal elected All India Catholic Union National president
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>
She was an energetic fundraiser, determined to establish a Corpus Fund of one Crore rupees so the AICU would be able to support the Church and related organizations rather than asking them for support.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://aicuindia.org/ar10.pdf
|title=All India Catholic Union ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 2010
|date=13 August 2010
|publisher=AICU
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>

Following the [[2002 Gujarat violence]], Menezes and AICU vice-president John Dayal issued a statement in September 2002 voicing profound concern at events in the state.
They said Chief Minister [[Narendra Modi]] and his rivals were involved in "an aggressive misuse of religious sentiments in their political campaigns". The statement said Modi and the [[Sangh Parivar]] were dismissing the pain of the survivors of the violence and raising fresh fears among minorities.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25987815_ITM
|title=Catholic Union concerned over Modi's remarks.
|work=Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
|date=13 September 2002
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>
Menezes was unanimously re-elected in September 2002. In her speech after reelection Menezes said the AICU would continue to stress growth of community leadership, and would look for increased participation from [[Dalit|Dalits]], women and young people. She said the AICU would focus on restoring the rights of Christians of Dalit origin, working at the state and national levels.<ref name=Noronha2002/>

Speaking at the 49th Annual General Meeting of the Union in Chennai on 6 September 2003, Menezes said the AICU must reshape itself to better
deal with "present political trends and turmoil within the Church". She said "It must harvest ideas and bring renewal in the Church and country". She said that "Proper formation of the laity for the distinctive role in the life and ministry of the Church must continue to be a priority".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@goanet.org/msg04036.html
|author=[[Frederick Noronha]]
|title=AICU Chief Calls for Reshaping Organisation's Future
|date=11 Sep 2003
|work=SAR News
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>

Christians in India were in a somber mood in December 2008 after the [[Religious violence in Odisha#2008 Kandhamal violence|anti-Christian violence in Orissa]] earlier that year and the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|Mumbai attacks]] on 26 November 2008.
As past president of the AICU, Menezes said "Christmas is going to be as always. But the manner of celebrations should be different. In solidarity with their suffering brethren in Orissa, the Catholic community should suppress festivities and instead concentrate on the spiritual aspects of Christmas".<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.goatoronto.com/international-news/attacks-will-bring-back-spirituality-to-xmas.html
|work = Goa Toronto
|title = Attacks will bring back spirituality to Xmas
|date = 22 December 2008
|author = Alexandre Moniz Barbosa
|accessdate = 2012-04-15
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20130124120824/http://www.goatoronto.com/international-news/attacks-will-bring-back-spirituality-to-xmas.html
|archivedate = 24 January 2013
|df = dmy-all
}}</ref> She called on parishes throughout India to use the money they would have spent on Christmas to help their fellow-Christians who were suffering in Orissa. She said the response had been generally good, but not in Goa.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-22/goa/27906372_1_christmas-celebrations-catholics-goa
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103085313/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-22/goa/27906372_1_christmas-celebrations-catholics-goa
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=3 January 2013
|title='Avoid external celebrations'
|author=Alexandre Moniz Barbosa
|date=22 December 2008
|work=[[The Times of India]]
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist |refs=
<ref name=Noronha2002>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@goacom.com/msg02661.html
|author=Frederick Noronha
|date=20 Sep 2002
|title=AICU President, Vice-president Re-elected
|work=SAR News
|accessdate=2012-04-15}}</ref>
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menezes, Maria Emilia}}
[[Category:Indian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Maria Emilia Menezes - Revision history

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