Mangalore: Devotees Partake in Annual Feast of Blessed Joseph Vaz Parish
By Stanley Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RD/CN)
Mangalore, Dec 2: The annual feast of Blessed Joseph Vaz Parish, Mudipu, was held with great devotion and religious fervour on Tuesday December 1 and Wednesday December 2.
The annual feast this year was themed ‘Unite Us in the Shadow of the Anointed Hands’.
The special devotion to Blessed Joseph Vaz at the Miracle Hill Shrine will be held on Thursday December 3.
Fr Andrew D’Souza, parish priest, Blessed Joseph Vaz Parish, offered the festal Eucharistic celebration at 10.30 am on Tuesday. A special prayer service for the sick and ailing was held on the same occasion.
Holy Masses were also offered by many priests who arrived from different parishes and across the diocese from 12.30 am to 5.30 pm on Tuesday. An hour of adoration to the Blessed Sacrament was also held from 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm.
Bishop Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza concelebrated the festal Eucharistic Mass along with many priests here at 10.30 am on Wednesday.
Fr Victor D’Souza, parish priest, Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Panir, Fr John Sequeira, director of Rishi Vana, Ranipura, Fr Vinod Lobo, Fr Pradeep Correa, and Fr Reginald Pinto, served in liturgical activities for all the days.
Holy Masses were also held in various languages at 8.30 am, 1.00 pm, 4.30 pm, and 6.00 pm on Wednesday. An adoration prayer service was also held from 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm.
Mudipu parish priest Fr Andrew D’Souza welcomed the gathering.
A large number of devotees from across the diocese attended the festal Eucharistic Celebrations.
The patron of Mudipu church, Blessed Joseph Vas, was born in Goa in 1651. He was sent to erstwhile Canara by his superiors on missionary work.