News and pics from Santhu Omzoor (GA)

Mangalore, Sep 1: A total of 30 members of Blessed Joseph Vaz Society of Sri Lanka visited Blessed Joseph Vaz Church at Mudipu near here on Wednesday August 30.  This visit was a part of annual pilgrimage conducted by the Society to study and conduct research on life and mission of this Goa-born saintly-person who later preached in Sri Lanka and Dakshina Kannada.

The pilgrimage started on August 20 night from Chennai and continued via Velankani (August 21), Mysore and Bangalore (August 23), Goa (August 24) and reached the city on Tuesday August 29. The pilgrims were in the city till Thursday August 31.  They would go back to Sri Lanka on Saturday September 2.

On their arrival to Mudipu, parish priest Fr Andrew D'Souza welcomed them while vice-president of parish council Michael D'Souza welcomed them with flowers on behalf of the parishioners.  The pilgrims then participated in the Eucharistic celebration which was celebrated by Fr Andrew D'Souza and concelebrated by Fr Pradeep Correa and Fr Reginald Pinto.

After their visit to Mudipu, the pilgrims visited Infant Jesus Church at Bikarnakatta and St Aloysius College Chapel before leaving to Chennai on August 31.