Mangaluru: Founders Day of MSIJ community held

By Meena Serrao Barboza
Bellevision Media Network

Mangaluru, 30 Sep 2023: The 29the September became a memorable day in the history of Missionary Society of Infant Jesus as the Fathers and Brothers were privileged to celebrate for the first time the Founder’s Day just after two years of his death.

 

Before commencing the celebration of the Solemn Thanksgiving Holy Mass in honour of the Founder’s Day, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore Diocese, blessed the renovated Missionary Society of Infant Jesus and Mother House. The invited priests and sisters’ faithful took part in the blessing of the renovated Mother House.

 

Before the Holy Mass beagn Fr Melwin Basil Pinto, MSIJ, wholeheartedly welcomed Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, all priest, nuns, siblings of the founder, benefactors, faithful gathered for the day’s Eucharistic celebration.

 

 

Thereafter the Holy Mass began. Holy Mass was presided over by Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Fr Victor George D’Souza, chancellor of the Diocese of Mangalore, Fr James D’Souza, Vicar Forane of City Deanery, Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza, PP, Bondel Parish, Fr Bathula Ravi Kumar, MSIJ, Superior General, Fr Ashok Kumar Nalla, MSIJ and all other priests concelebrated in the Solemn Thanksgiving Holy Mass. Bishop, in his homily on the auspicious occasion of Founder’s Day made all know that it is God who calls all and wills for them to become blessings in the lives of others in turn and similarly the founder too was called by God and by his way of life he inspired many. "He is not venerable, a servant of God, beatified, or declared as a saint yet we celebrate the founder for what good God did in his life. He has shared it with so many people, and they have experienced blessings from him in their life," Bishop said.

 

Before the final hymn of Holy Mass, Fr Bathula Ravi Kumar, MSIJ, the superior general proposed a vote of thanks. Revelation choir group led by Suraj Noronha and Co sang melodiously for the Holy Mass. The gathered people expressed words of appreciation for the function organized in a very systematic way.

 

The Founder’s day function was ended with a fellowship meal.