Mumbai: Bandra St Theresa Church Celebrates Monthi Fest
 
By Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mumbai (RD/CN)
 
Mumbai, Sep 12: The Konkani community of St Theresa church, Bandra (West), celebrated Monthi Fest at their school auditorium on Saturday September 11.
 
The little children of the parish offered flowers to Infant Mary during the procession of the statue of Infant Mary held from the church to the school premises.
 
Fr Innocent Fernandes blessed the new paddy sheaves and freshly sourced vegetables from Mangalore on the occasion.
 

Fr Dominic Vaz, parish priest, St Joseph’s church, Mira Road (East), celebrated the festal Holy Mass in Konkani and also delivered a homily on the message of Infant Mary.
 
Fr Richard Lasrado, Fr Baptist Pais Allipade, Fr Salvador Serrao Paladka, Fr Ivan D’Silva Niddodi, Fr Vincent Barboza, and Fr Santosh Menezes Gurpur were the co-celebrants of the festal Mass.
 
Pius Vaz, advisor, Christian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), and Mumbai High Court lawyer was the chief guest who inaugurated the stage programme.
 
Suzanne L Coelho, proprietor, ‘Secular Citizen’ English weekly, Rony Mendonca Bandra, trustee, Mangalore-based ‘Mandd Sobhann’, and Prof V D Mascarenhas, dean, St Andrew’s College, were the guests of honour.
 
Speaking on the occasion, lawyer Pius Vaz emphasized the significance of Monti Fest celebration that gives an opportunity to the family re-union at least once a year.
 
Fr Innocent distributed blessed candles to the sponsors of the festal Holy Mass.
 
Juliet D’Silva welcomed the gathering.  Chief organizer Joy Saldanha Kemman compered the programme.  Richard D’Silva proposed the vote of thanks.
 
Konkani musical concert by renowned Mangalorean singers Kenni Zazart and group, and Antony Tauro was staged as part of the cultural programme. 
 
The parishioners of coastal Karnataka origin gathered for the sharing of the traditional vegetarian fellowship meal. Sugarcanes were distributed to the little children on the occasion.