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Udupi, Sep 30: Fr Ferdinand Gonsalves, parish priest, Kemman celebrated his 60th birthday by offering a thanksgiving mass and thereafter celebrating by cutting cake along with the parishioners at the community hall.

Homily was delivered by Fr Basil Vas, Alangaar parish. He said "We have gathered here for the love of our beloved Fr Ferdinand. Diamonds are rare and expensive. So is our Fr Freddy. A verse of Confucius says ‘You do not grow old. When you stop growing you are old’, we shouldn’t stop for anything. We must grow. Add life to your upcoming years."

Fr Ferdinand was the main celebrant along with 10 other priests.

Monsignor Baptist Menezes, dDiocese of Udupi, conveyed the bishops’ message and also congratulated Fr Freddy on his birthday.

Celebrations of the birthday commenced immediatly after the Mass organized by the parishioners. Fr Freddy’s family had come from along with people from different parishes where they had offered their services.

The parish choir group dedicated a song on this occasion.

Fr Freddy shared his joy and thanked the parishioners for organizing such a beautiful event. He also thanked his family all those who had gathered from far and near, all the priests who had gathered to celebrate the mass and had also joined the event

Fr Louis D’sa raised the toast on behalf of the gathered praying that he has good health and spreads more happiness through the word of God.

Ronald Menezes, vice president, Kemman, welcomed the gathering, while grace Machado, secretary, Kemman, proposed the vote of thanks. Nadia Menezes and Naveen Saldanha compered the entire programme.

The stage programme followed the colorful cultural programme and dinner.