Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala
Karkala, Feb 17: The feast of St Anthony’s relic was celebrated with great devotion and spiritual fervour at St Anthony’s Shrine, Manjarpalke Pakala, Belman, on February 16.
Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, bishop of the Udupi diocese, was the main celebrant for the festal Eucharistic celebration.
Delivering the homily, Fr Richard Coelho, parish priest of Paldane church, said, "St Anthony remains one of the most revered saints to this day. His popularity stems from his role as a preacher of the divine word. He not only preached but lived the word of God, dedicating his life to helping the needy. He used simple words to ignite a spiritual fire in the hearts of the people. When there were preachings against the Church, St Anthony used the word of God to offer corrections with compassion rather than humiliation."
He further added, "St Anthony is known as the defender of the poor. He protected their interests and shared his richness with them. As the Udupi diocese dedicates this year to the poor, let us follow his example by supporting those in need and living according to the word of God in our daily lives."
In his message, bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo noted, "St Anthony has never sent anyone away empty-handed, and today's gathering is a testimony to that. Not only Christians but many people of other faiths visit this shrine. I request the faithful to donate at least one rupee out of every hundred earned to the poor and support the missionary works of your parish."
On the occasion, the bishop blessed the statue of St Anthony for public devotion and inaugurated the new religious stall of the shrine.
Fr Fred Mascarenhas, parish priest of Belman, proposed the vote of thanks. Fr Oswald, assistant parish priest, along with several priests from the Udupi and Mangaluru dioceses, participated in the Eucharistic celebration.
Herald D’Mello, vice president; Lydia Aranha, secretary; Janet Saldanha, convener of the 20 commissions; and a large number of devotees were present. The celebration concluded with a fellowship meal organised for all the devotees.