by Ancy Paladka
Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 8: The St Joseph church at Mira Road here, as usual kept its tempo high for the extraordinary Monti Fest celebrations. Ripened corns ("Bathachio Konshyo") were blessed and distributed to the people, all children took flowers. Then people carrying either ripened paddy grains or flowers marched on the roads taking Infant Mary's statue in a procession lead by a brass band. Thousands of people marched the main roads, side roads, gardens of Mira Road singing praises to mother Mary and reciting prayers. It was a fabulous show on the roads.
This is a beautiful tradition of honouring Blessed Mary Virgin on her birthday and has been a virtual solemnity at Mira Road. People from all walks of life have been participating in the nine days solemn Novenas, this year concentrated on Family Values has been attended in thousands. This tradition began 6 years ago after Fr Rudolf a keen Konkani lover priest took over the charge and has come to its climax this year with a crowed of nearly 8000 gathering for the celebration.
This day was marked by the auspicious presence of auxiliary Bishop Agnelo Gracias, Fr Rudolf V D’Souza, Fr Deepak Thomas, Fr Peter Rebello and Fr Elias D’Souza, concelebrated the mass.
The bishop in his homily stressed the importance of catholic values in families and also to increase devotion to Mary to be nurtured and valued.
Later he inaugurated the Family Cell of the parish, with 15 couples being commissioned into this cell. Diocesan Family center also had an exhibition with banners on the church premises about different problems of family life.
The Parish website http://www.stjosephchurchocd.org was inaugurated by the Bishop. The website gives all the information to the parishioners about the parish activities and programme. The website is the initiative of Fr Rudolf V D’Souza, designed and developed by Mervyn Mathew and Dancia Jos. Mervin gave a short report of the progress of the website.
Fr Rudolf V D'Souza OCD thanked all specially Daijiworld.com for its timely reporting and invoked blessings on all those who were actively involved in the preparations for the feast. He also thanked Paul D' Souza who provided "Bathachio Konshyo" ( blessed corn) for distribution. He also thanked Sebastian D' Souza for his help and assistance in
all the arrangements for the feast.
The Konkani Welfare Association of Mira Road, provided the liturgical band and arranged the procession.
The church campus is decked with the exhibition on the part of the FAMILY CELL of the Archdiocese on FAMILY ISSUES. Lot of people benefited this exhibition.
Lot of people of other faiths flocked to honour Mary and get blessings from her.
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