Vespers (Besp) celebrated in St. Antony’s Parish, Kuntalnagar

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 18 January 2011: On the eve of the annual parish feast of St. Antony’s Church, Kuntalnagar, the Vespers (Besp) was celebrated on Tuesday, 18th January 2011 at 7pm with fervour and enthusiam. Fr. Louis D’Sa, parish priest of Mudarnagadi was the chief celebrant of the ‘Word of God’. Twenty seven priests participated in the celebration including Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, Episcopla Vicar of the Udupi District, Rev. Fr. Mathew Vaz, Dean of Udupi Deanery, Fr. Charles Lewis, former parish priest of Kuntalnagar and Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Belle.

 

In his powerful homily in Kannada, Fr. Louis D’Sa said that St. Antony of Padua, the patron saint of the parish is known as the ‘saint of Miracles’ and he has blessed the parishioners abundantly in many ways. Highlighting the main theme of the Vespers, the ‘Word of God’ Fr. Louis D’Sa through an interesting narration pointed out how living the ‘Word of God’ is more important rather than just possessing and reading the Holy Scriptures.

 

 

Following the homily, the Blessed Sacrament was venerated followed by the prayers to St. Antony and blessing through the relic of the saint by Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes.

 

Following the end of the Vesperse service in the church, there were fireworks in the premises of the church which were keenly observed by the people by transfixing their gaze to the sky as the colourful formations of the fire-works were quite exciting.

 

Fr. Jerome Monteiro, parish priest of Kuntalnagar had made good arrangements for the celebration of the Vespers and the annual parish feast. The church building was elegantly decorated with colourful lights and buntings. The guests priests were seen mingling with the parishioners and exchanging greetings of the feast. There was cool winter breeze on top of the hill where the church is located.