Daijiworld Media Network – Chikmagalur (SM)
Chikmagalur, Oct 18: The feast of St Francis of Assisi was celebrated with pomp and gaiety at Bala Yesu Nivas here on Sunday October 14.
The celebration began at 10.30 am with the welcome to the Bishop, T Anthony Swamy of Chikmagalur with bouquets and garlands by the superior of Bala Yesu Nivas Br Victor Crasta and the zonal president of the Secular Franciscan Order Rosy Sequeira and Leo Mathias. The solemn Eucharistic celebration began at 11 am wherein the Bishop was the main celebrant and 21 priests concelebrated with him.
The uniqueness of the Eucharistic Celebration was that 148 new members joined the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) and 22 more made the final vows in the SFO. A new fraternity of SFO at Bala Yesu Nivas was inaugurated by the bishop and 106 members were among those who joined newly-formed fraternity of Bala Yesu.
Bishop T Anthony Swamy expressed his great desire of starting SFO fraternity in all the parishes of Chikmagalur diocese. At present the SFO fraternities are spread out in 17 parishes of the Chikmagalur diocese which has a total of 38 parishes. The total number of SFO members in Chikmagalur diocese has risen nearly to 400.
After the Eucharistic celebration, cultural programme was arranged by the members of SFO. The Bishop was felicitated for his continued assistance to spread the SFO in the diocese and also for spending more than 4 hours to make this day a great success. A sumptuous festal meal was served to all the participants.
Fr Rocky D’Cunha, the national spiritual assistant of SFO, Fr Anthony Raj, the zonal spiritual assistant of the SFO and Fr Sunith Prabhu, SJ, the religious in-charge of Chikmagalur diocese were present at the festal celebration besides the other priests, religious brothers, sisters and dignitaries.
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