Media Release
Chikmagaluru, May 22: Infant Jesus Church, Hemmakki, celebrated its pearl jubilee with great devotion and grandeur. The bishop of the diocese of Chikmagaluru, T Anthony Swamy, arrived at Hemmakki. The gurkar, Cyril Miranda, warmly welcomed the beloved bishop with a garland.
A large number of Catholics from Hirebile, Marsanige, and Yedur, along with the local faithful, accompanied the bishop in a solemn procession with the decorated Infant Jesus car to the church. After vesting for the Holy Mass, the liturgical rites began. The bishop inaugurated the renovated church by cutting the ribbon and blessing it with the opening prayer and holy water.
Msgr Elias Sequeira, the vicar general of the diocese, proclaimed the Word of God. In his homily, he explained the importance of the church and reflected on how God dwells among His people through the church, thereby strengthening the bond between God and humanity.
After the Holy Eucharist, the bishop blessed the donors’ candles. On the occasion, the bishop also released the souvenir Ashirvada, which beautifully narrates the 30-year journey of the church. The souvenir was compiled by Ivan D’Costa, writer and journalist.
Nearly 20 priests participated in this Eucharistic celebration. The choir from St Joseph's Church Hirebile added spiritual fervour to the ceremony with their melodious singing.
During the Holy Mass, bishop T Anthony Swamy blessed the crucifix, altar, and tabernacle. After the Mass, a short felicitation programme was conducted. During the programme, the bishop felicitated the architect, contractors, and all the workers who laboured for the renovation and construction of the church. A special honour was also given to C T Colaco for his tireless and dedicated service in helping to secure the land for the church.
Bishop Anthony Swamy was also honoured by the parishioners in recognition of his gracious presence and blessings. He lauded and appreciated the generous contribution of the Hemmakki faithful towards the church. The bishop also appreciated the hard work, dedication, and tireless efforts of Fr David Prakash in successfully carrying out the renovation work and guiding the parish community.
At the end of the programme, the people honoured their parish priest, Fr David Prakash, for his dedicated and selfless service to the parish.
Fr Charles Pereira, chancellor; Fr Rajendra, former parish priest; and Fr Faustine Furtado of the Karwar diocese, a native of Hirebile, were among the priests present for the celebration. Diocesan Liturgical Commission secretary Fr Supreeth Menezes and joint secretary Santhosh Kumar served as the liturgical emcees and coordinated the ceremony prayerfully and gracefully.
Alphonse Rodrigues and team from Chandoli, Coove provided melodious band music throughout the function, which added a festive spirit to the celebration. The entire church premises were beautifully illuminated with colourful lights, creating a joyful and vibrant atmosphere.
A jubilee agape meal was served to all the faithful and guests who attended the celebration. Nearly 500 people participated in this church inauguration programme, making the occasion a joyful, prayerful, and memorable event for the entire parish community.