News & Pics : Konkani Kutamb, SVP Church, Banasawadi, Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 8: The annual feast of the Nativity of Mother Mary was celebrated at St Vincent Pallotti Church, Banasawadi, with traditional gaiety and fervour on Tuesday, September 8.

The services in Konkani commenced in the morning at the church premises with the blessing of newly grown sheaves of paddy corn by assistant parish priest Fr Jithesh D’Souza. This was followed by children offering flowers and honouring Mother Mary to the accompaniment of melodious hymns. Thereafter, the children, along with priests and parishioners, proceeded to the church in a procession with the blessed paddy corn and the statue of Infant Mary to celebrate the Holy Mass.

The main celebrant of the Eucharistic service was Fr Michael D'Almeida, provincial rector of ABVM Province Bengaluru, along with co-celebrants including parish priest Fr Francis Mariyappa, secretary to the provincial Fr Ankith D’Souza, and assistant parish priests Fr Jithesh D’Souza, Fr Daniel Horta, and Fr Balaraj. The homily was delivered by Fr Michael D'Almeida.

The Konkani choir group ably supported the Eucharistic service by singing melodious hymns.

Blessed corn was distributed to the parishioners at the end of the service. Breakfast was served in the church basement, followed by the distribution of sugarcane to the children. The president of St Vincent Pallotti Konkani Kutamb Banasawadi, Herald Alfred Lewis, proposed the vote of thanks.

The main attraction of this year's celebration was the nine-day novena in preparation for the Nativity feast. Each day featured a unique theme based on the life of Mother Mary, with floral offerings held during the evening Mass.