Report and Pics from Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (RD)
Mumbai, Sep 11:Konkani community of St Theresa’s parish, Bandra (West) celebrated Monti Fest at St Theresa’s School auditorium, here on Saturday September 10 evening.
Fr Richard Lasrado, parish priest of Tokoor in Mangalore diocese blessed the new paddy sheaves, flowers and candles during the celebration. Little children offered the flowers to Infant Mary at the occasion.
Fr Roman Pinto, clergy from Shimoga diocese offered the Holy Mass to celebrate the feast of Nativity of Mary, along with St Theresa’s parish priest Fr Bernard Rodrigues, Fr Salvador Serrao Paladka, Fr Santosh Menezes Gurpur and Fr Melvyn Rosario Baroda.
Rony Mendonca Bandra of Mandd Sobhann inaugurated the simple programme.
Secular Citizen Weekly publisher Suzanne L Coutinho, entrepreneur Pramila V Mathias, Syndicate Bank manager Harry Coutinho, Nefi (Rod) Rodrigues and others were chief guests of the occasion.
Rony Mendonca emphasized on the importance of Monti Fest to Konkani community.
Fr Santosh and Fr Bernard distributed the blessed candles to the sponsors of the feast.
The chief organizer Joy Saldanha Kemmannu welcomed the gathering.
The hundreds of Konkans participated in the festal celebrations and partaken in the fellowship meal that comprised wide varieties of vegetarian food. Sugarcane was distributed to the gathering.
Gerry Bondel compeered the programme.
Konkani musical concert was staged by the troupe of Aldric Crasta and Kenny Zunzart from Mangalore as part of cultural programme.