Media Release
Vancouver, Sep 13: The Catholic community in Vancouver Canada gathered in commemoration and celebration of Mother Mary’s Nativity feast again this year in Guardian Angels Church, Vancouver, Canada in good numbers on September 10.
There were around 125 community members participated in this year’s celebration.
The Catholic community thanked Fr John Pinto OCD for facilitating the celebrations for the past 4 years in Guardian Angels Church and Hall.
The blessing of new rice grains (Noven) and showering of flowers by children was held at the Grotto as the participants sang “Moriyek Hogolsiyan” in honour of Mother Mary. Soon after this all went in procession to the Church as they sang “Sokkad Sangatha Mellyam” and placed flowers at the Altar.
The main Eucharistic celebrant this year was Fr Joseph D’Souza and the Mass was co-celebrated by Fr John Pinto, Fr Mario Fernandes and Fr Victor Fernandes. In his homily, Fr Mario emphasised that even though every sinner has a sinful past, every sinner has a sinless future too. “It is by Mother Mary’s intercession as she says listen to my son Jesus, every sinner can be redeemed from the sinful past,” he said. The Mass and the choir were mostly in Konkani which made everyone feel at hometown Mangaluru.
It was a fun-filled and entertaining afternoon in the church hall. It began by prayers by the clergy thanking God for another year and new harvest and consumed the Noven mixed with Vorn, a traditional sweet dish. All the families introduced themselves and it was pleasure meeting the new arrival families. There were 7 different Mangalurean vegetarian dishes this year i.e., Polov, Sonne, Moog, Sango (Beans), Korrom (Salad), Karathen and Bendan added by Vorn. These items were sponsored and cooked by different families and each family catered for such big crowd. The food was sumptuous and delicious similar to traditional Mangalurean cuisine. So many participated in Karaoke singing and entertained the crowd. All danced and were on the dance floor and they sang and when baila songs were played. It ended with Fr Joseph singing Laudate.