from Jessie Rodrigues
for Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (AF)

Bangalore, Feb 6: More than thousand religious men and women gathered to celebrate the world day of concecrated persons recently at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral grounds here.

Fr Paul Puthanangady SDB, the dynamic episcopal vicar for religious welcomed the gathering and introduced the purpose of the Sanyasa Sangama, a concept of religious gathering, a religious consecration day which is being celebrated for the first time in the city.

Sr Roseline Lazar CSST, put forth the challenge against the large and long standing, yet ineffectiveness of the presence of the religious. She called forth for the collaboration of the religious with the laity and priests to take up new ministries which will enable people to be the light, salt and the yeast of the Kingdom of God.

Jeanette D’ Souza, president of the ‘Serra Club Bangalore’, spoke on the urgency for identifying and recruiting good vocations and the need and relevance of religious in the modern society.

Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernard Moras encouraged and appreciated the work of religious and also elaborated on the challenging situations in some parishes due to the absence of religious and in some remote areas of his diocese.

The programme concluded with Eucharist celebration where all the religious participated with lighted candle and renewed their commitment and also pledged to do better. CRI members from different zones added colour to the function by presenting dance, skits and songs.

Fr Francisco SDB compered the programme.