By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pics by Wilson, Shirva
Daijiworld Media Network

Udupi, Apr 15 :  The newly constituted Diocese of Udupi  opened its account with first priest-Fr. Mahesh D’Souza of Moodubelle when he was  ordained by the first Bishop of Udupi, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle on Monday, April 15, 2013. The historical day of the Udupi Diocese in general and Moodubelle parish in particular was observed with great solemnity and  extremely significant and meaningful  ritual of administering the Sacrament of Ordination to Deacon Mahesh D’Souza which the parishioners of Moodubelle had not witnessed since a long time.

 The church with floral decoration  was well prepared to host the ordination ceremony. At the stroke of 9.30 hours in the morning of Monday, April 15, 2013, Deacon Mahesh D’Souza acomapnied by his parents-Frederick and Matilda D’Souza along with the family members followed by 81 priest from different parishes of Udupi and Mangalore Dioceses along with Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo came in a grand  procession entering the church through the main door.

Meanwhile, Fr. Boniface Pinto who acted as the Master of the Ceremonies  in his introductory remarks explained the significance of the ceremony. The first part of the Mass proceeded as usual. The Gospel was read by Deacon Mahesh D’Souza.

 The ordination ceremony began with  Deacon Mahesh ascending the altar from the congregation. Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis, Rectors of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore where Deacon Mahesh had undergone the training for priesthood presented  him to the Bishop saying that Deacon Mahesh had fulfilled all the conditions necessary to be ordained .

 Accepting the candidacy of Deacon Mahesh to be ordained a priest, the Bishop addressing him pointed out the status and responsibilities of a prelist in the Church. He said that a priest is the one chosen by God from among the people to serve them and lead them to  Christ.  The Bishop gave examples from the Old and New Testaments to show how God chose humble persons to be His messengers on earth.  Thereafter the Bishop asked few questions to Deacon Mahesh regarding the responsibilities of a priest to which the latter answered in affirmative. Deacon Mahesh also pledged his obedience to the Bishop as his superior.

 Following the preliminaries, Deacon Mahesh prostrated in front of the main altar as the choir sang the “Litany of Saints”. Soon after the litany, the Bishop placed his palms on the head of Deacon Mahesh and prayed for the grace of the Holy Spirit on him. All the 81 priests one by one placed their palms on the head of Deacon Mahesh and prayed for the same.

 Soon after, as the symbol of priesthood, Deacon Mahesh wore the priestly vestments with the help of Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Moodubelle. Thereafter, the Bishop anointed the hands  of  Mahesh  and thereafter handed over to him the paten  on which the host is kept and the chalice symbolizing the priestly responsibility to offer the Eucharistic Mass.

 Having completed these rituals, Deacon Mahesh D’Souza  came to be designated as Fr. Mahesh D’Souza and the Bishop offered him the ‘kiss of peace’. Similarly, all the 81 priests  offered the sign of peace to Fr. Mahesh.

 Having ordained a priest, Fr. Mahesh joined the Bishop and other priests in concelebration of  the rest of the Eucharistic Mass, first by receiving offertory  gifts brought by the family members and  relatives and hereafter by assisting the chief celebrant, the Bishop. At the end of the Mass, after the general blessing  by the Bishop, the newly ordained Fr. Mahesh also gave his maiden priestly blessing to the congregation.

 The entire ordination ceremony took exactly two hours during which the church was full to capacity and the aura of the celebration was enhanced through the melodious singing by the choir well trained by Fr. Paul Sequeira. Following the  end of the Mass and the Ordination ceremony  Fr. Mahesh posed for group pictures  along with the priests, family members and relatives. Besides the Bishop, Vicar General of Udupi-Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Dean of Udupi Varado-Rev. Fr. Fred Mascarenhas, Rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary-Rev. Fr. Joseph Martis participated in the Eucharistic celebration.

 The solemn church rituals were followed by a grand felicitation function organized in the parish hall. The stage was aesthetically decorated and the audience was eager to felicitate the newly ordained priest-Fr. Mahesh. A group of dance students from Sharada Nritya Kala, Udupi performed welcome dance.

Following the welcome address by the Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council-Alphonse K. Alva, Fr. Mahesh along with his parents and dignitaries on the dais lighted the lamp. Fr. Lawrence Mascarenhas, presently the parish priest of Madanthyar, who,  Fr. Mahesh considers as his inspiration to join priest hood while he was assistant parish priests at Moodubelle  delivered the felicitation oration  highlighting the good qualities and talents of Fr. Mahesh.

Next, Fr. Mahesh was felicitated by his parents, by Alphonse K. Alva on behalf of the Moodubelle parish and by Fr. Kiran Pinto-parish  priest of Ajekar where Fr. Mahesh had served as the Deacon. Thereafter, Vicar General Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes read out the Papal Blessing addressed to Fr. Mahesh and felicitated him. Fr. Joswey Fernandes speaking on behalf of the parish  said that the day would go down in the history of the parish and the diocese as the day when the diocese of Udupi  got the first ordained priest and the Moodubelle parish for having given such a priest to the diocese.

Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo  speaking on this occasion thanked Fredrick and Matilda D’Souza for dedicating the second of their three sons to the service of God and His people. He also thanked the Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius P. D’Souza for giving priestly training to Fr. Mahesh and made an appeal to the people to promote vocations in their families.

 In his reply to the felicitation, Fr. Mahesh D’Souza was quite emotional while he recalled the role of his parents in supporting him in his vocation. He recalled the help and support rendered to him right from his childhood till the day of his ordination, his grandmother, Lucy D’Souza, relatives,  teachers inschool   and professors in the colleges, teachers in Jeppu Seminary,  friends, well-wishers  and all those who had helped in organizing the ordination ceremony in the church and the felicitation function in the parish hall a grand success. 

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