Attur-Karkala: “Parents should be good examples to their Children”-Bishop Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Karkal, 30 Jan 2014: Delivering one of the most touching homilies, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi Diocese said that parents should be good examples to their children. Elaborating on the theme of this year’s  annual feast of the Shrine of St. Lawrence at Attur-Karkala “Christian Families-Cradles of Faith”, Bishop Gerald Lobo who concelebrated the solemn feast mass on Thursday, 30 January 2014 at 10 am, which is also known as the ‘Feast of Our Lady of Guide”, Giyad Mai in Konkani and Margadarshi Maata in Kannada, which has been traditionally observed as the parish feast by the parishioners of Attur,  in the course of his homily in Konkani traced the origin and growth of the family and emphasized on the role of the family as the cradle of faith. He pointed out the problems faced by modern families and stressed upon the fact that it is the family which is the first school and church and the child learns right from its conception and from cradle and lap of the parents, especially the mother.  He urged upon the parents to correct their children at appropriate age and instill in them the faith and noble values  by being good examples to them.

 

Earlier, the brass band led the procession from the old church building followed by the altar servers, priests and the Bishop accompanied by Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, Rector of St. Lawrence Shrine, Rev. Fr. Charles Lewis, Spiritual Director of the Shrine and Rev. Fr. Denis D’Sa, PRO of the Udupi Diocese.  On reaching the main altar, Rev. Fr. Charles Lewis formally welcomed the Bishop and offered him a bouquet of flowers.

 

Prior to the commencement of the solemn feast mass, candles of honour were distributed to the office bearers and members of the Parish Pastoral Council and mood-dhoms by Rev. Fr. George D’Souza.

 

The shrine was packed to the capacity and more pilgrims were seen queuing up in front of the relic and the miraculous statue of the saint, praying in the old shrine building, lighting candles, visiting the miraculous pond ‘Pushkarini’  and lining up in front of the statue of the saint to receive blessed flowers and oil.

 

At the end of the feast mass, Rev. Fr. George D’Souza expressed gratitude to the Bishops of Mangalore, Udupi and Belthangady for concelebrating solemn feast masses on different days and all the priests who offered masses at different times and all those who had cooperated with the shrine in organizing the three days long annual feast of the shrine.

 

Bishop Gerald Lobo in his message gave credit to Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, the Rector of the Shrine for taking bold step in expanding the existing space and providing all facilities to the devotees of St. Lawrence and people in general to fulfill their pilgrimage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bellevision.com has been fortunate to have covered all the major events connected with the annual feast of the Shrine of St. Lawrence right from the Confraternity Sunday on 26 January 2014 to the Feast of Our Lady of Guide on Thursday, 30 January 2014.  It was indeed a great experience for me personally from the  journalistic point of view to have covered for Bellevision.com these major events.

 

While I covered the Confraternity Sunday and Mass for the Elderly and Sick on Monday on day to day basis, I had an opportunity to stay at the shrine from Tuesday, 28 January till Thursday 30 January 2014, thanks to Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, Rector of the Shrine, Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Moodubelle and Pravin Castelino, the Event Manager and logistic organizer during the three days long annual feast.

 

Rev. Fr. George D’Souza-Rector of St. Lawrence Shrine, Attur

 

Roshan Castelino, Rev. Fr. George D’Souza and Pravin Castelino

 

 

 

 

Wilfred Menezes being honoured 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the four days since Monday through Thursday, lakhs of pilgrims visited the shrine. Besides providing additional space and huge pandal of coconut palams, foolproof  security arrangements were made with 310 policemen including bomb squads and sniffer dogs. Hoardings and pictures of some chain-snatchers were displayed at various places warning people about pick-pocketers and to be cautious about their money and belongings. 32 CC TV Cameras with recording equipment provided by Wilfred Menezes, an enterprising businessman from Moodubelle and one of the founder members of Bellevision (UAE)   were strategically stationed inside and outside the shrine. These factors greatly helped in preventing any theft, chain-snatching  or molestation incidents.  Medical facility was provided in case of emergency.  Fire brigade was in attendance as a precaution tp prevent fire accidents. Three water coolers provided by SKF Company were stationed at three strategic places for the pilgrims to quench their thirst. 375 volunteers were put in service round the clock to help the pilgrims and maintain the discipline. These infrasturctural facilities made the pilgrimage of lakhs of people incident free. The pilgrims followed utmost discipline. 

 

On the spiritual side, for the benefit of the pilgrims arriving at different times on different days from Monday to Thursday, there were 31 masses at regular  intervals. Besides, there were four solemn feast masses-two offered by Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo on Tuesday evening at 6pm and Thursday morning at 10 am; one by Most Rev. Dr. Lawrence Mukkuzzi, Bishop of Beltangady at 8.30 am on Wednesday and one by Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius P. D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore at 10.30 am on Wednesday. More than 300 priests-both diocesan and religious rendered their service in offering masses, distributing Communion, blessing the sick, hearing confessions, manning different counters including some of the stalls and providing other services related to the celebration of the annual feast of the Shrine. A number of Religious sisters also rendered their help during the feast days.  Choirs from Attur and other neighbouring parishes rendered their service at different masses by singing beautifully the hymns related to the feast.

 

A lot of planning had gone into the organization of the annual feast of the Shrine of St. Lawrence at Attur-Karkala under the leadership of Bishop Gerald Lobo and Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, the Rector of the Shrine. Various responsibilities were shared by different priests for the smooth conduct of the annual feast. The  responsibility for the liturgy of the feast  was shouldered by Fr. Chetan Lobo (OFM Cap). Fr. Clement Mascarenhas was in charge of the hymns. Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes along with Fr. Vincent Lobo and Fr. Vincent Crasta were coordinators for  Confessions. Fr. Joswey Fernandes looked after the registration of thanksgiving and intention  masses. Fr. Charles Lewis and Fr. Lawrence Rodrigues took the responsibility of arrangements at the ‘Miraculous Statue’ of St. Lawrence. Fr. Edwin D’Souza was in charge of the volunteers. Fr. Denis D’Sa was responsible for the media and publicity. Public announcement and notifications were managed by George Castelino.

 

Bishop Gerald Lobo was present at the shrine on all the three days of the feast which was appreciated by the pilgrims. He was very much pleased with the work done by Rev. Fr. George D’Souza and cooperation of all the preists and nuns, volunteers and other personnel during all the days of the feast. 

 

Pravin Castelino along with his brother, Roshan Castelino from Moodubelle  provided tea, breakfast, lunch and dinner since Monday evening till the evening of Thursday. Rev. According to Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, as Event Manager, Pravin Castelino, besides providing food for three days of the festival was responsible for making arrangements for pandal, sound system, illumination and flowers. Fr. George has greatly appreciated the contribution of Pravin Castelino for the success of the annual feast. Since fourteen years Pravin and Roshan Castelino have been rendering their service at the Shrine of St. Lawrence with great efficiency and dedication. 

 

Live coverage of all the major events associated with the annual feast at Attur was provided by the Divine Channel.

 

Wilfred Menezes who had sponsored the CCTV Cameras with recording equipment was honoured by the Bishop of Udupi, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo along with Rev. Fr. George D’Souza and Rev. Fr. Charles Lewis in the evening of Thursday, 30 January  2014 when he visited the shrine.

 

There was unprecedented surge of pilgrims this year  as the devotees of St. Lawrence, Christian and non-Christian brothers and sisters came from different places. There was heavy rush on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The long lines of devotees paying respect to the “Saint of Miracles” was the proof of the fact that the Shrine of St. Lawrence at Attur has been attracting countless pilgrims year after year.

 

Attur Fest 2014 - Complete Coverage