With great devotion Belle Parishioners pass on the Jubilee Holy Cross to Katapadi Parish
By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva and Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network
Moodubelle, 18 October 2011: The Post-centenary Silver Jubilee Holy Cross that has been making rounds in the Udupi Varado was in the Belle Parish from October 16, 2011. It was taken with great devotion in a grand vehicle rally on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 to St. Vincent De Paul Parish at Katapadi and was passed on to the Parish Priest-Fr. Ronald Fernandes and the parishioners who received the Holy Cross with equal devotion and reverence.
Prior to the start of the grand vehicle rally, the Holy Cross that was kept for veneration in front of the main altar in St. Lawrence Church, Belle was brought out and was placed on the decorated open van belonging to Paul D’Souza. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Fr. Lancy Saldanha and Fr. Maxim Pinto (OFM-Cap) accompanied the Holy Cross in the open van. A large number of vehicles both two and four wheelers were lined in front and side of the open van bearing the Holy Cross. The vehicle rally started at 3.50 pm with two wheelers piloting the van and four wheelers following the van. Two school buses were also used to carry the parishioners. Many travelled in other vehicles. Around 250 parishioners from Belle were part of the grand rally and procession.
The rally, passing through the main Udupi-Moodubelle road proceeded to Katapadi from Dendoorkatte. From the main road connecting Katapadi and Dendoorkatte, the parishioners from Belle who alighted from the vehicles and the parishioners from the Katapadi church went in procession towards the church. The band from St. Lawrence English Medium School, Moodubelle provided the necessary ambience for the procession. Children of Belle in their white First Holy Communion dress and women in white saris carried flowers and lamps in paper trays in front of the van carrying the Holy Cross.
At the entrance of the St. Vincent De Paul Church, the Parish Priest, Fr. Ronald Fernandes and the parishioners received the Holy Cross from the hands of Fr. Joswey Fernandes and was carried within the church with great devotion and was placed in front of the church. Belle parishioners placed the flower trays with lamps in front of the Holy Cross.
Following brief prayer service and liturgy of the Word, the Vice President and Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council-Mrs. Teresa Lobo and Mrs. Molita D’Souza along with the Gurkars of eight Wards of the parish honoured the Holy Cross with garlands of jasmine flowers.
At the end of the service, Fr. Ronald Fernandes thanked Fr. Joswey, Fr. Lancy and Fr. Maxim as well as the parishioners of Belle for bringing and passing on the Holy Cross to the Katapadi parishioners.
Tour of the Holy cross in 23 Wards of the Belle Parish:
On Monday, October 17, 2011, the Holy Cross was taken to all the 23 wards of the Belle Parish in two phases. In the morning from 8 am to 1pm fourteen wards were covered during which Fr. Lancy Saldanha accompanied the Holy Cross and conducted the prayer service. In the afternoon, from 3.20 pm to 6 pm, nine wards were covered with Fr. Joswey Fernandes conducting the prayer service.
In each ward, a convenient house for assembling all the members of the ward was selected to which the Holy Cross was taken on a decorated van.
Different wards had made different arrangements for receiving the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross was then taken inside the house and was placed on the decorated pedestal. As the prayer service was conducted by the priests, ward members paid their respect to the Holy Cross by offering flowers. In some wards the path was decorated with buntings and banners.
The houses chosen for the tour of the Holy Cross in each of the wards are the following:
St. Peter I-Mrs. Alice Rebello, St. Peter II-Lawrence D’Souza, Fatima-Paul Mathias, St. Isidore-Mrs. Anita Mendonca, St. John the Baptist I-Baptist Saldanha, St. John the Baptist II-Mrs. Mary D’Souza, Holy family-Augustine Lobo, Christ the King-F.C. Lobo, St. Lawrence-Murice Dias, St. Thomas I-Albert Nazareth, St. Thomas II-Daniel Helen Castelino, Mother Teresa-Gerald Fernandes, Sacred Heart II-Mrs. Teresa Alva, St. Joseph-Santan Mathais, St. Paul II-Mrs. Leena D’Souza, St. Francis Xavier II-Isac Lobo, St. Paul I-Mrs. Moncia Lobo, St. Francis Xavier I-Benedict Flavia Martis, St. Roque I-Lawrence Menezes, St. Roque II-Noel Hilary Mathais, St. Anna II-Antony D’Sa, St. Anna I-Charles Martis, sacred heart I-Jerome D’Souza.
It is indeed a great experince for the people of the Diocese of Mangalore in general and the parishioners of Belle in particular to receive and honour the Post-centenary Silver Jubilee Holy Cross. There was overwhelming participation of the parishioners in the reception and send off of the Holy Cross. Even when the Holy Cross was taken to different wards of the parish, the members of the wards assembled in large numbers for the prayer service and paying respect and honouring the Holy Cross.