Udupi/M’Belle: Christmas celebrated with solemnity and gaiety

By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 24 Dec 2014: Solemnity and gaiety marked the celebration of Christmas in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle on the evening of 24 December 2014. The atmosphere in the church and surrounding premises was befitting the celebration of the great feast of the birth of Jesus. The main altar was aesthetically decorated; the facade of the church was pleasingly illuminated and next to the newly built grotto was the laboriously assembled crib.

 

Prior to the celebration of the Mass, a tableau narrating the birth of Jesus written by Rev. Fr. Reginald Pinto, directed by Vincent Fernandes, the animator of the ICYM and enacted by the ICYM members  was presented at 6.30 pm as the choir sang the Christmas Carols appropriate to the scenes depicted in the tableau.

 

The solemn Christmas  feast mass was concelebrated at 7 pm  by Rev. Fr. Victor Fernandes (OFM Cap), Superior of Assisi Nilaya as the chief celebrant along with Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Rev. Fr. Roshan D’Souza, Rev. Fr. Reginald Pinto, Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes and Rev. Fr. William D’Souza.

 

 

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Victor Fernandes referred to the recent terrorist killings of school children in Peshawar, Pakistan and other examples of atrocities by communal forces and terrorist outfits in different parts of the world in general and in India in particular.  Further, Fr. Victor said that while Christmas celebration reminds that while Jesus, the son of God took the form of a human being, the people have lost humanity as hatred and atrocities have maligned the human nature among certain sections of the people all around. He made an appeal to the congregation to follow the spirit of Christmas by sharing and caring.

 

At the end of the mass, Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes conveyed the greetings of Christmas to all parishioners.

 

The congregation reverently lined up to pay respect to baby Jesus through the statues of infant Jesus held by the priests at different points in the church. As the people went out of the church they were offered cake slices to provide a touch of the Christmas spirit.

 

Soon after the mass, people assembled in front of the portico where the ICYM memebrs  had organized the auction of two cakes to raise funds for the celebration of the fortieth anniversary (Ruby Jubilee) of the foundation of ICYM in Moodubelle. Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes, National Director of YCS formally inaugurated the banner of “Yuva Konkani Festh” that will be conducted on 8 February 2015 as part of the Ruby Jubilee.

 

To start with, the large cake in the shape of a crib was put to auction. There was enthusiastic bidding that started from on thousand rupees and ended with Rs. 24,000/- and the cake was claimed by  Henry Jacintha D’Souza. The other cake was auctioned through the American auctioning system. The ICYM members also conducted the Housie-Housie game. Rev. Fr. Reginald Pinto  and Vincent Fernandes ably guided the ICYM members in conducting various activities.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Vinay Kumar Sorake, Minister for Urban Development and In-charge Minister of Udupi District paid a visit to the church and conveyed Christmas greetings to Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes and through him to the entire parish community by offering flower bouquet to Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes. In his message Mr. Vinay Kumar Sorake expressed his happiness to come personally and greet the people of Moodubelle on the occasion of the Christmas celebration. He also reminded that last year too he had visited the church on the Christmas day.

 

People manifested the solemnity, joy and gaiety of the Christmas feast by wearing the festive dress and especially the women enriching their personality with varities of jewellery. The church was full to capacity filling the space both inside and outside the church. The choir rendered the hymns beautifully and the crib prepared by the YCS volunteers under the guidance of their animator John Castelino is quite superb.

 

Bellevision wishes Happy Christamas to all its readers, advertisers, supporters and well-wishers

 

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