Confraternity Sunday Celebrated with Solemn Mass, Eucharistic Procession and Community Meal

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 02 January 2011: The Centenary celebrations of the foundation of St. Lawrence parish of Belle took off to a grand start on Sunday, 2nd January 2011 with the celebration of the Confraternity Sunday (Compricho Aitar) with a solemn Mass, grand Eucharistic procession and the community meal (annasantarpane) in which  a large number of people from the village, including non-Christian brethren  and parishioners from the neighbouring  churches participated. The premises of the church wore a festive look as people gathered with great enthusiasm to participate both in religious and social functions.

 

The solemn Confraternity Sunday Mass began at 10 am with the procession of the Altar Servers, liturgy readers and fourteen priests concelebrating the Mass with Rev. Fr. Mathew Vaz, Dean of Udupi Deanery as the chief celebrant. Henry Fernandes, vice president of the Parish Pastoral Council read out introduction to the Mass.

 

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Mathew Vaz said that there is a paradox in everyone’s life. One does not know how to make use the opportunities that God has given us.  Explaining the passage of the Gospel, visit of the three Wise Men from the East to Bethlehem with the gifts to worship Baby Jesus, he said that those three Wise Men could understand the sign of the star and followed it to Bethlehem where  Jesus manifested His divinity to them. Further, Rev. Fr.  Mathew Vaz said that by our true Christian life we should be like the Star of Bethlehem showing the way to others.

 

The church was packed to capacity for the Confraternity Mass. There was provision for the people to follow the Mass even from the portico and outside the church through close circuit TV. Children who had received first Communion recently with complete white dress were seated on the first two rows.  There was an aura of devotion and gratefulness among the parishioners. The well-trained choir with Fr. Paul Sequeira on key-board signing selected melodious hymns added to the devotional atmosphere of the Confraternity Sunday.

 

Following the end of the Mass at around 11.20 am, the Blessed Sacrament was venerated and was later taken on a specially decorated open van in a grand solemn Eucharistic procession led by Cross bearer, band, children and adults.

 

 

Rev. Dr. Paul Fernandes S.J. Professor at Xavier Labour Relation Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur and also professor  at Jnanadeepa Vidyapeeth (Papal Seminary)  in Pune carried the Blessed Sacrament on the open van. The procession from the church passed through the road leading to St. Lawrence Composite College and thereon to the Main Road and back to the church through the main gate.  The Eucharistic procession that had started at 11.30 am reached back the church at 12 noon. The number of participants in the procession was so overwhelming that the people who were quite in front   reached the church premises before the Blessed Sacrament was taken out of the church for the procession. The entire path of the procession was decorated with buntings, festoons and banners. The people of the township of Belle including shop-keepers and bystanders stood in silence and watched the entire procession with respect.  The First Communion children with plates filled with flowers preceded the Blessed Sacrament and were followed by the Altar servers and the priests. Rev. Dr. Paul Fernandes carried the Blessed Sacrament and boarded the decorated van. The church bell tolled throughout the period of the procession and firecrackers were burst throughout.  Exactly at 12 noon, Rev. Dr. Paul Fernandes re-entered the church with the Blessed Sacrament following the procession. After the prayer thanking Almighty God for the gift of faith for the last hundred years in the Belle Parish and prayer of dedication of the parish of Belle to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Solemn Sacramental Blessing was given to all the faithful who had gathered in the church for the Confraternity Sunday.

 

After the Solemn Mass, Fr. Joswey fernandes gave away prize to Mrs. Mary Sequeira winner among those who had suggested the appropriate name to the Centenary Souvenir.  Candles of Honour (Mancho Vaathi) were distributed by Fr. Joswey Fernandes  to all those parishes, organizations and individuals who had brought ‘Horekanike’. Thereafter, members of the Parish Pastoral Council, presidents of the Parish Associations, heads of educational institutions, Gurkars, donors  and sponsors of the annual parish feast. Mrs. Meera Lobo, secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council read out the names.

 

Meanwhile, the community meal (annasantarpane) had already started at 12 noon. The guests from other parishes and non-Christian brethren took meal earlier followed by the parishioners. The arrangements for the distribution of food was excellent. For those people who wanted to have meals on plantain leaves tables were laid inside as well as outside the parish hall and and six counters were provided for those who were in favour of buffet meal. There were also  six extra counters for butter milk, payasam, water, etc. Volunteers under the directions of Henry Alva managed these counters. There were also volunteers to guide the people. There was excellent discipline and order among all the people as a result of which the entire community meal went off very well. Mr. Devdas Hebbar was at the venue right from the beginning till the end of the programme. Mr. Maxim D’Sa through his public announcement guided the people during the ’annasantarpane’.

 

The trial of the webcasting of the programme on the Confraternity Sunday was successfully conducted by Pace Media, Mangalore. Bellevision viewers can view the entire programme of the Annual Parish Feast and  the valedictory function on Wednesday, 5th January 2011 from 10 am.