Bantwal: Centenary Celebrations of St Lawrence Parish, Vijayadka
 
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD/SB)
 
Bantwal, Jan 7: The centenary celebrations of St Lawrence parish, Vijayadka, Karopady, Vittal here was held on Wednesday January 6.
 
Monsignor Denis Moras Prabhu concelebrated the thanks giving Eucharistic Mass, along with parish priest Fr Peter Aranha and other clergies at St Lawrence parish. Monsignor Prabhu also inaugurated centenary programme at parish hall after the Eucharistic celebration.
 

Monsignor Denis, in his homily to the gathering, emphasized on the Biblical message, “I am the wine and you are the branches.” In order to lead rich spiritual living, we ought to be united in Christ to bear abundance of fruits.
 
Mangalore south deanery vicar Fr Andrew D’Souza inaugurated Sr Lawrence Centenary Complex on the occasion.
 
Catholic Board of Education (CBE) secretary Wilson L D’Souza laid the foundation stone for constructing the St Lawrence High School at an estimated cost of Rs 52 lac.
 
Bantwal MLA B Ramanath Rai, Ursuline Franciscan convent superiors Sr Luciana and Sr Fatima, Mary Augustine and taluk panchayat member Usman Karopady among others were present on the dais.
 
More than 3,000 people were present, who were offered the sumptuous food in the afternoon.  
 
St Lawrence parish was established at Vijayadka, near here by Fr J S Mathias and consecrated on July 30 1910, under the Mangalore diocese. The parishioners living in the neighbouring villages of Karopady, Kanyana, Kolnad, Chippar and Bayar villages of Kerala come under its purview.
 
St Lawrence Higher Primary School was established in 1914, when Fr V R Fernandes was serving as parish priest.  Shanti Ashram, an orphanage for poor and destitute children was set up during 1962.  Fr Peter Serrao was instrumental in setting up of a well-equipped St Lawrence Hospital in 1978, at Vijayadka village.
 
The parish council has planned year-long service activities to mark its centenary jubilee celebrations, including setting up of education fund for the poor students, health fund to help the poor and sick parishioners, family development fund and other community development programmes.