Media Release

Mangaluru, Feb 7: Fr Walter D’Mello, associate judicial vicar of the diocese of the city, inaugurated the nine day novena in preparation for the feast of Relic of Saint Anthony by hoisting the flag of Saint Anthony on February 6 at 5.45 pm near Saint Atnhony’s Shrine, Milagres Church.

The Holy Mass offered for the special intentions of the youth followed the inaugural. In his homily Fr D’Mello spoke on the talents God has endowed on the youth and he encouraged them to make use of their talents by serving God, people and the Church to which they belong. He said if these talents are not put to good use they will go waste. At the end of the Holy Mass Fr Peter Gonsalves assistant director of the Ashram conducted the novena in honour of Saint Anthony during which intentions of the people for various needs were placed before the great intercessor. Earlier in the evening, a decorated statue of Saint Anthony was brought to Milagres in a motorcade from St Anthony’s Ashram, Jeppu via Kankanady and Falnir. Fr Valerian D’Souza, parish priest of Milagres Church, Fr Onil D’Souza, director of the institutes, Fr Francis D’Souza, administrator of the institutes and a multitude of people participated in the first day of the novena.