Udupi/M’belle: St. John the Baptist Ward I Members celebrate the feast of Patron Saint

By Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’belle, 22 Jun 2014: The members of St. John the Baptist Ward I celebrated the feast of their patron saint on Sunday, 22 June 2014 at 12 noon at the residence of Mrs. Christine Noronha. Fr. Roshan D’Souza-Assistant Parish Priest of Moodubelle was thecheif guest. Guests of honours included Alphonse K. Alva and Mrs. Emilia Noronha-Vice President and  Secretary of Parish Pastoral Council, Sr. Irene and Sr. Wilma from Loreto Convent, Ignatius Monis-Convener of Small Christian Community (SCC), Mrs. Gladys Rebello-President of the Catholic Sabha and Mrs. Eliza Mendonca-Gurkarn of St. John the Baptist Ward II.

 

Ms. Theresa Lobo-Gurkarn of St. John the Baptist Ward I welcomed the guests and the gathering. After a short prayer service prizes were distributed to all the children who had put cribs during the Christmas. Mrs. Monica D’Souza-Secretary of the Ward presented the report of the various activities during the last year.

 

In his message, Fr. Roshan D’Souza said that since taking charge as the Assistant Parish Priest of Moodubelle Church this was his first visit to the ward on the occasion of their ward feast. Conveying the greetings of the feast to all the ward members, Fr. Roshan said that the spirit of unity and cooperation that they have displayed on the occasion of the feast of their ward patron saint should continue throughout the year.

Alphonse K. Alva also appreciated the good work that is being done by the Gurkarn and representatives of the ward.

Patrick Fernandes, proposed the vote of thanks.

Game of Housie was organized as part of the entertainment and prizes to the winners were distributed by Sr. Irene Viegas.

St. John the Baptist Ward I is quite a large ward with 52 houses. While Ms. Theresa Lobo is the Gurkarn of the Ward, Patrick Fernandes and Mrs. Lyneet Lobo are the representatives and Mrs. Monica D’Souza is the Secretary.

 

About St. John the Baptist:

 

 

St. John the Baptist was the son of Zachary, a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Elizabeth, a kinswoman of Mary who visited her. He was probably born at Ain-Karim southwest of Jerusalem after the Angel Gabriel had told Zachary that his wife would bear a child even though she was an old woman.

 

St. John the Baptist lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea until about A.D. 27. When he was thirty, he began to preach on the banks of the Jordan against the evils of the times and called men to penance and baptism "for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand". He attracted large crowds, and when Christ came to him, John recognized Him as the Messiah and baptized Him, saying, "It is I who need baptism from You".

 

When Christ left to preach in Galilee, John continued preaching in the Jordan valley. Fearful of his great power with the people, Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Perea and Galilee, had him arrested and imprisoned at Machaerus Fortress on the Dead Sea when John denounced his adulterous and incestuous marriage with Herodias, wife of his half brother Philip.

 

John was beheaded at the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias, who asked for his head at the instigation of her mother. John inspired many of his followers to follow Christ when he designated Him "the Lamb of God," among them Andrew and John, who came to know Christ through John’s preaching. John is presented in the New Testament as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the precursor of the Messiah. His feast day is June 24th and the feast for his beheading is August 29th.