Moodubelle: Blessing of Vehicles held in the Church premises

By Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 14 August 2011: As one entered the main gate of the church from the road for 7.30 am Mass on Sunday, August14, 2011, he could see a number of vehicles neatly lined up, two wheelers towards the right and four wheelers towards the left.  This arrangement was made for the blessing of the vehicles after the Mass organised by the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) as part of their annual activities.

 

Soon after the Mass, Fr. Valerian D’Silva (OFM-Cap) who concelebrated the Mass along with Fr. Paul Sequeira recited prayers at the altar prior to the blessing of  the vehicles. As announced by Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the parish priest, all the vehicle owners stood by the side of their respective vehicles. Thereafter, Fr. Valerian D’Silva along with Fr. Paul Sequeira, Fr. Joswey Fernandes and Fr. Lancy  Saldanha went around and blessed all the vehicles and the owners by sprinkling holy water.

 

It is indeed a wonderful sight of so many vehicles  in the church premise, especially on festival and Sunday Masses, which indicates the economic development of the parishioner. Gone are the days when people used to  trek from distant places to attend the Sunday Mass, gather outside the church to meet their relatives and acquaintances after the Mass  and go back in groups  talking to each other.  There used to be few cycles which have practically vanished from the church premises.

 

 

With the increasing number of vehicles-two wheelers or four wheelers, parishioners practically arrive just before the commencement of the Mass and immediately after the end of the Mass drive off to their homes, hardly having any interaction with other parishioners except in very few cases.

 

In spite of these few drawbacks, vehicles have become the necessity of the time and it is good to see many vehicles in the church premises on Sundays and festive occasions. It is also a wonderful gesture on the part of the ICYM to organise the annual blessing of vehicles and their owners so that Almighty God protect them always.