Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Pics: Sany Digital Studio, Kalmady
Udupi, Aug 15: The parishioners of Stella Maris Church and the devotees of Vailankanni celebrated the annual feast with the theme 'Family devoted to Mother Mary; filled with God's presence' on Friday 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 Valerian D’Silva presented the blessed candles to all the sponsors.
Dr Lobo presided over the Holy Eucharistic Mass along with Fr Valerian Mendonca, chancellor of Udupi Diocese, Fr Fred Mascarenhas, dean of Udupi Deanery, Fr Chethan, editor Uzwad, Fr Alban D’souza, parish priest of Stella Maris Church, Kalmady and priest from the denary were the co-celebrants.
The Bishop in his homily said, "Jesus Christ did not finish his work before he was crucified; he had appointed 12 apostolic with seven sacraments to carry on his mission to save human being from the signs beforehand."
"There is a link between Holy Sacrament and Mother Mary. Mother Mary had the full faith and trust in Jesus when he had made the first miracle where he turned water into wine. Mother Mary bowed down to God's word and she gave birth to Jesus Christ," he added.
Choir was conducted by Fr Fredrick D’souza, Leslie Aroza and the choir group of Kalmady Church.
From Wednesday August 6 preparations for the grand festival of nine days Novena of Vailankanni were being carried out. Several priests led the Novena for different needs and different causes.
After the Holy Eucharistic Mass, Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLA of Kaup and minister for state urban development and Udupi district-in-charge released the souvenir. In his address he conveyed the Independence Day wishes and the feast wishes to all the devotees.
Pramod Madhawaraj, MLA of Udupi wished everyone on the occasion.
Fr Alban, Flavia, vice-president, parish pastoral council and Sanjary, secretary, parish pastoral council, were present on the dais.
More than 6,000 devotees participated in the fellowship meal which was arranged after the stage function.
Prior to the grand celebrations on Wednesday August 13 'Hore Kanike' was held and the Vailankanni statue was brought in a procession from Adi Udupi Junction till Kalmady Church. Many devotees participated in the procession.
Yuvaraj, president of Udupi CMC and Celine Karkada, president of Sai Samthi flagged off the procession.
Fr Alban D’souza, Fr Valerian D’Silva, Louis Lobo, Flavia, Sanjay Andrade, CMC members Prashanth Bhat, Sandhya Kumari, Shashiraj Kundar, Harmis Noronha, Narayan P Kunder, Harish Ram Bannaje were present on the occasion.
After the procession Dr Francis Seravo, Bishop, Diocese of Shivamoga presided over the holy Eucharistic Celebrations at Kalmady.
In his homily he said, "We need to live according to the words of God and should be role models to others. Mother Mary was with Jesus Christ thoughtout his life. Today, instead of staying together in the society we are fighting with each other for various reasons."
"Inorder to remove injustice from the society, we should follow Mother Mary and Jesus Christ," he added.
After the Eucharistic Mass, Fr Alban thanked and felicitated Dr Francis Seravo, Bishop with a memento, flowers and shawl.
Eric Soans, Barkur conducted the choir.