Media Release
Muscat, May 27 : The Holy Spirit Catholic Church of the Ghala Parish in Sultanate of Oman, celebrates its Silver Jubilee in this year 2012 under the theme “Celebration of Unity in Faith and Parish Life” under the spiritual guidance of Rev. Fr. Albert D’Silva, Parish Priest who hails from Mangalore.
As a part of the Jubilee celebrations, Parish feast of Pentecost was celebrated with grandeur and pomp. Church was decorated with colourful lights and other decoration giving a glittering look. The Feast was celebrated on Friday, the 25th of May 2012. The mass was con celebrated by 5 priests, including Fr. Albert D’Silva, Fr.Selvaraj, Fr. Mathew, Fr. Wilson from Ruwi parish. Rev. Fr.Varghese Chempolly, was the main celebrant.Fr. Vazrghese is the Assistant provincial of the Arabian Vicariate and his homily reflected on the virtues of Holy Spirit ,which was very meaningful and touchy to the occasion. The mass was followed by an Eucharistic procession, more than 2000 faithful joining it with candles in the church compound, which created very festive and devotional atmosphere.
A musical show was presented by ‘Master Plan’ which is a Jesus Youth music ministry from Dubai. Their show enthralled the crowd and made everybody sing and dance along with praise and worship. There was a fellowship dinner served to the people who attended the celebrations.
In preparation to the grand celebration of the Parish Feast, nine days novena was organized in honor of the Holy Spirit from 16th May 2012 till 24rd May 2012, including the mass. Inauguration was done by Rev. Fr. Raoul Ramos, Parish Priest of St. Peter & Paul church, Ruwi, with the flag hoisting on first day of the novena. Everyday the mass and the homily was based on the day’s theme. Each community and pious associations of the parish were actively involved in the celebration and were given the responsibility of arranging various activities such as decoration, exhibition, liturgy, choir, fellowship food and cultural programme to suit a theme of the various fruits of the Holy spirit during all nine days of the novena. Jesus Youth group took major role in coordinating the activities. Every day the church was full, faithful attending the mass and novena.
The Mangalorean community organized an exhibition on the Holy spirit which was displayed during all the days of the novena and the feast day. The fellowship food was organized by the community on Sunday the 18th of May 2012 , where Mangalorean snacks and home made sweet (vorn) was served which was relished by the parishioners.
The Mangalorean community was handed with the theme of ‘Goodness’ , one of the fruits of the Holy spirit for the cultural programme held on the 20th May 2012. The programme began with a Tablue that depicted the descending of the Holy spirit upon Mother Mary and 12 apostles, enacted by Veena and others. It was followed by a Marian Konkani prayer dance presented by Priyanka, Gracy , Meera and Rachel which was very well appreciated by the gathering. A Konkani song on Mother Thereza was sung by Rony, Charlotte, Sabrina and Alwyn accompanied by music from Avil. The evening’s attraction was a skit on Mother Theresa’s goodness in English. It showed the various ways in which Mother Theresa had helped the poor and downtrodden. It was very well enacted by Helen, John, Lionel, Loyal , Jawahar, Lancy, Thomas, Joylin and narrated by Lavina.
The entire programme of the day came to an end when children wearing white dresses walked on the stage with lamps in their hand and all the participants of the programme walked on the stage and swayed themselves to the music of ‘Heal the World’, the crowd also joined and cheered the participants. The programme was one of its kind and well staged to match the theme of the Novena of the day which was ‘Goodness’.