Report and Pics From Rons Bantwal
For Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (RD/CN)
Mumbai, Jun 29: Scores of believers are thronging the St Michaels Church in Mahim (West), to witness the supposed miracle of blood flowing from the heart of a statue of Jesus which came to light on the night of Thursday, June 27. This church is famed among devotees the world over, for its special veneration to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour for the past six decades.
The annual feast was celebrated on Thursday with nine days of novenas in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Devotees began rushing to the church following media reports on the morning of Friday, June 28.
The novena services first began here on September 8, 1948, wherein devotees weary of troubles and tribulations began arriving every day to the feet of Mother Mary seeking her intercession and solace. Every Wednesday, special novenas are held in various languages for the benefit of multi-lingual devotees arriving in large numbers.
The devotees trust that Mother Mary will ease their sufferings, grant their wishes, and bless them abundantly. A visit here is considered a kind of pilgrimage in itself and it has indeed become a miraculous shrine especially for the poor and downtrodden. The church will celebrate its platinum jubilee on September 8, 2008.
One of the devotees said, ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Succour has been known for miracles, bestowing spiritual bliss on all those who seek regardless of faith, caste, creed, and religion. Mother Mary loves everyone and takes care of the well-being of every devotee who believes in her.’
Yet another believer stated that Jesus Christ had not done any miracles for himself; instead all his miracles during his life on earth were directed towards the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. He added that though hard to believe, the miracle of the bleeding heart of the statue of Jesus was true.
Fr Donnath D’Souza, hailing from Mangalore, has been the administrator of this shrine for many years now. Auxiliary Bishop Fr Perceval J E Fernandes, also a Mangalorean, had concelebrated the festal mass with several priests on Thursday.