Retrospection and looking ahead: Udupi diocese celebrates one year
Kevin Rodrigues
Pics: Ivan Mascarenhas
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Oct 15: The long-awaited dream of the Catholic community of Udupi became a reality exactly a year ago when Udupi diocese was carved and erected. On Tuesday October 15, the diocese marked its first anniversary, but unlike the grand celebration that saw it coming into existence on October 15, 2012, the celebration this time was low-key and focused on retrospection and looking forward to a fruitful future.
A thanksgiving mass led by bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo was held at Milagres Cathedral Kallianpur to mark the occasion. Udupi diocese chancellor Fr Valerian Mendonca, episcopal vicar for religious Fr J B Menezes, rector of the Cathedral Fr Stany B Lobo, and other priests of the diocese were the concelebrants.
Bishop Dr Lobo unveiled the 'Ashirvard' souvenir to mark the first anniversary celebration of the diocese.
After releasing the souvenir the bishop expressed gratitude to god for accepting the prayers of the devotees and making their dream a reality with the formation of the new diocese. "Because of the prayers of the faithful, today we have Udupi diocese, and I am extremely thankful to god," he said.
He thanked all the priests of the diocese who stood by him in moments of happiness and sadness over the past one year. He also expressed gratitude to god for sending able priests to the diocese to spread His word.
"Devotees are the assets of the diocese. I have met many people during my pastoral visits. This diocese belongs to us all," he added.
"Milagres Cathedral is the main church for the diocese and all the official work of the diocese is arranged and managed here. Over the last one year Fr Stany B Lobo has taken the initiative as rector of the Cathedral and has done a wonderful job. He along with all the priests of the Cathedral have given their best," the bishop lauded. He thanked all the people and asked them to show the same support in the future too.
Speaking on plans for the development of the diocese, he said a complete diocesan project will be announced shortly and all development works will be based on it. "We have done a study on the dos and don’ts of the diocese, on what is required most at this stage and also the future plans. We will start working on it once it is announced," he said.
He also thanked the media for covering all the major events ever since diocese came into existence.
Elaborating on the souvenir that was released on the occasion, he said, "A diocesan paper is needed to reach out to the last devotee in the diocese. Keeping this in mind, we have taken the first step by releasing the souvenir, and we plan to improve upon it in the future. The surplus budget saved from the diocesan project will be spent on the paper." He appealed to the devotees to support with their wishes and advices in order to make a successful start towards this cause.
Rector Fr Stany B Lobo thanked all the parishioners for the service and help rendered during the anniversary celebrations.
Bishop honoured Simon Sunitha Fernandes of Kallianpur for sponsoring refreshments.
Fr Leslie D'Souza, parish priest of St John the Evangelist Church, Pangala, in his homily said, "Beginning, divine call, blessings, commitment and thanksgiving are the five main things which Abraham had followed, and today even we are doing the same."
He added, "We have a Pope who broke the cannon law but is surely doing what Jesus Christ had done and asked us to do. He said to keep faith in God. Already, a beginning has been made. We have got the divine call, we are blessed to spread his word, and at the same time we have to give out commitment to him and at the end we have to thank him for everything."
Prior to the mass a brief introduction about the anniversary celebration was given by Eugene Rebello.