Daijiworld News Network – Doha (GA)
Doha, Sep 9: The nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, popularly celebrated as Monthi Fest by Mangaloreans all over the world, makes one feel nostalgic bringing back the childhood memories. While in the earlier years Mangaloreans overseas waited eagerly for the arrival of new corns sent by their family members back home, the situation has changed drastically in the last few years. The Mangaloreans spread across the globe specially in the Middle East today celebrates Monthi Fest traditionally wherever they are in typical Mangalorean style by sharing the new corns and then joining together for ‘novem jevann.’
The vibrant Konkani Speaking Community here is not an exception for this phenomenon. In fact Monthi Fest is one of the most awaited celebrations by the KSC of Doha which mostly comprises of Konkani Speaking people from Goa, Mangalore and Mumbai.
The Konkani Speaking Community of the Our Lady of Rosary Church joined in unison to celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the church premises on Sunday September 8 evening.
The ‘Monthi Fest’, one of the most-awaited celebrations among the Konkani Speaking Community of Qatar was celebrated with great religious fervour. The solemn festal mass was celebrated by Fr Noel D’Almeida who had specially been flown from Kuwait for the Monthi Fest. Fr Anand Castelino, the popular spiritual director of the Konkani Speaking Community was the concelebrant on the occasion.
In his homily Fr Noel stressed on the role of ‘Four Mothers’ in one’s life. “Blessed Virgin Mary is our spiritual mother and hence all reverence and honour must be bestowed on her. Our biological mother who gives birth to us and takes care of us to the end is the living god seen by us. Similarly the Holy Church is our third mother while nature, the God’s own creation is our fourth mother. All these four mothers play equally important role in forming and shaping the lives of human beings,” he said.
A melodious Mangalorean Konkani choir was the highlight of the evening. Norman Texera and family was the ‘pirjent’ for the KSC Monthi Fest celebrations. New corn was blessed and distributed to the devotees after the Eucharistic celebration. The new corn grown in the fields of Herbert D’Souza were sent to Doha by Dolla Mangalore.
Parish priest Fr Selvaraj joined the celebrations after the Eucharist and delivered his message to the Konkani Speaking Community. Aloysius D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks.
The ‘pirjent’ and all other donors who made this celebration possible through their contributions were presented with ‘manachi vaat’ before the mass by Fr Noel D’Almeida.
The evening came to an end with the sharing of traditional ‘novem jevann’ that promotes unity of the Konkani Speaking Community.
Earlier nine-day novenas beginning from August 30 were held as preparation to the Nativity. Fr Noel D’Almeida took the devotees on a spiritual journey during these nine days with his powerful and touching reflections on the Word of God.