Udupi: Grand celebrations mark 25th year of Stella Maris Church, Kalmady
Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Pics by Praveen, Sany Digital Studio, Kalmady
Udupi, Aug 15: ‘All generations shall call me blessed’ was the theme with which parishioners of Stella Maris Church and the devotees of Vailankanni celebrated the silver jubilee of the Church on Thursday August 15.
Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi Diocese, was welcomed by the parish priest and the parish council members at the entrance of the church.
Fr Alban D’Souza presented the blessed candles to all the sponsors of the jubilee celebrations. Joyous Noronha was the main Pirgent of the celebrations.
Dr Lobo presided over the Holy Eucharistic Mass along with Monsignor Baptist Menezes, vicar general of Udupi Diocese, Fr Valerian Mendonca, Chancellor of Udupi Diocese, Fr Stany B Lobo, rector of Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Fr Fred Mascarenhas, dean of Udupi Deanery, Fr Anil D’Souza, dean of Kundapur Deanery, Fr Alban D’Souza, parish priest of Stella Maris Church, Kalmady, and architect of Kalmady, Fr Denis Castelino were the co-celebrants.
The Bishop, in his homily, expressed that if we go to Mother Mary in faith then she won’t let us return empty-handed. “We go to her when we are sick, sad, and during the bad times in life. Mother Mary accepted the word of God. Because of that today all over the world she is praised and honored. Today we have to accept God’s word and should follow it in our daily life. She was the mother of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Wonderful choir was conducted by Fr Fredrick D’Souza, Leslie Aroza, and the choir group of Kalmady Church.
From Tuesday August 6 preparations for the grand festival of nine days Novena of Vailankanni were being carried out. Different priests led the Novena for different needs and different causes.
Bishop Lobo blessed the foundation stone for the new church.
After the mass there was a small formal stage function with Bishop Lobo presiding. While Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLA of Kaup and minister for state urban development and Udupi district-in-charge, Pramod Madhawaraj, MLA of Udupi, Monsignor Menezes, Fr Denis Castelino, Fr Richard Mascarenhas, Fr Fread Mascarenhas, Narayan Kunder, corporator, CMC Udupi, Fr Alban D’Souza, Louis Lobo, vice-president, parish pastoral council, and Precilla Alva, secretary, parish pastoral council, were present on the dais.
Fr Denis Castelino releases the Novena book. Fr Baptist Menezes honoured Fr Denis Castelino for his service.
Former parish priest Fr Richard Mascarenhas was felicitated by Pramod Madhawaraj, MLA of Udupi. Madhawaraj announced granting of Rs 5 lac for the new church building. He also promised to grant the funds from the government along with Vinay Kumar Sorake.
On the occasion, a souvenir was release by Vinay Kumar Sorake. Bishop Lobo felicitated Sorake on the occasion.
Sorake highlighted that both Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts are known for the educated people and the maximum credit goes to the institutes run by the Christian community..
On behalf of the parishioners, Fr Alban D’Souza felicitated Bishop Lobo. More than 6,000 devotees participated fellowship meal which was arranged after the stage function.