Flora D’Souza (Jerimeri)
Daijiworld Media Network -Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 29: The feast of St Jude’s the patron saint of hope of the hopeless was celebrated in a grand manner on Sunday, October 26, at the Church of St Jude’s Jerimeri.
To prepare for the feast, nine days of novena was conducted with the flag hoisting ceremony on October 16 after the mass at 6.45 pm.
The highlight of the feast was a special nine-days novena to St Jude beginning from October 17 to October 25, 2014 in English, Konkani, Tamil, Marathi & Malayalam. Special prayers were offered for various intentions during the novena with different themes for Eucharistic celebration. Priests were invited from different parishes.
People gathered in large numbers and priests prayed for the gathered congregation.
Fr Lancy Pinto, dean of Kurla deanery was the main celebrant of the feast mass at 9 am on October 26. Principal Fr Maxwell Furtado and Fr Gabriel Maria were concelebrants. Fr Lancy Pinto gave a meaningful homily on the greatest commandment “Love God with all your heart, soul & mind and also love your neighbour as yourself”. He also briefed about seven sacraments and gave an example of Pope John Paul 23rd who was humble and respected.
A Parish bulletin was inaugurated and released by Fr Lancy Pinto on the occasion.
The entire church campus was decked with colourful decoration for the annual feast. The church was elegantly and aesthetically decorated, especially the main altar with flowers.
In the evening after Tamil mass, there was a solemn procession with the statues of St Jude (Patron Saint), Mother Mary and St Michael (protector of church) at 8.00 pm.
People in large numbers participated in the procession devotionally with candles and rosary. Prayers and hymns were sung during the procession which started from the church ground and passed through 90 Ft Road, Safaid Pool, Kurla-Andheri Road. The procession ended with a general blessing for the sick and benediction of the most blessed sacrament in the Church by Fr Gabriel Maria.
An atmosphere of festivity prevailed in the parish. Parish Priest Fr Lancy, Fr Gabriel and Fr Maxwell thanked all the people who worked for the success of the event during different linguistic masses.