Media release
Mangaluru, Aug 10: The Dominican Order all over the world celebrates the 800 jubilee of the foundation of the order, this year. Dominican Order a congregation of men religious brothers known as order of preacher is founded by St Dominic De Guzman in 1216 in Spain. The yearlong celebration is marked by various programmes around the globe.
In Mangaluru too it added colours to the celebration at St Dominic wherein the church of St Dominic De Guzman situated. The weeklong programme started with the Eucharistic procession, 9 days novenas to St Dominic and the two days of festive celebration on August 7 and 8.
On Sunday August, 7 the celebration started with the solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr Valerian Menezes, Judicial Vicar of Mangalore Diocese who is in his homily stressed the importance of love between husband and wife, parents and children in the family life, citing the family problems in the modern world. He urged couples to love each other in order to show a good example to their children.
After the Eucharistic celebration, formal celebration of the jubilee year was organised in the church ground before a large gathering. The celebration was coloured by unveiling of the flag, cutting of jubilee cake and unleashing hundreds of black and white balloons in the air.
To add flavours to celebration in the evening 'Festa Gammat' a cultural evening with games, dances, music and variety entertainment was held at St Dominic's silver jubilee hall.
August 8 being the feast day of St Dominic De Guzman, the Dominican family (consists of Dominican fathers, brothers, sisters and Dominican laity), get-together was held at St Dominic silver jubilee hall. During this gathering the Dominicans recalled the service done by the Dominicans to the universal church and to the society at various times by remembering the fine personalities of the order like St Thomas Aquinas,( a philosopher and theologian), Bartholomew da Las Casas (Dominican worked for the liberation of Latin America) and many others. Dominicans also remembered the contribution to the Indian church starting from Bishop Jordan of Severac the first bishop in India when Qilon was erected as diocese.
After the gathering a solemn festive Mass was celebrated by Fr James Pius D'souza OCD, the Episcopal Vicar for Religious in Mangalore diocese. In his homily, he exhorted the Dominican family to live the spirit of St Dominic by 'contemplating and giving the fruit of contemplation to others.
The celebration ended with the sharing of a fellowship meal.