St. Lawrence Parish Moodubelle: Centenary Programmes

Report by Dr Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 03 June 2010: St. Lawrence Parish Moodubelle is celebrating its Centenary this year with various programmes. One of the unique programmes of the centenary year is the visit of St. Lawrence to each of the 22 wards of the parish in order to build the parish community from the grass-root level and foster unity and cooperation among the ward members and promote spiritual revival and devotion to St. Lawrence, the patron saint of Moodubelle. This programme of the journey of St. Lawrence by taking the statue of the saint to each ward and within the ward to each of the families was devised by Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Moodubelle. So far the statue of St. Lawrence has visited 13 wards and is presently in St. Roque II Ward. By 31st July  2010, all the 22 wards will be covered by the visit of St. Lawrence and the statue will be brought back to the church and the novena for the Calendar Feast (Tharikechem Festh) will start from 1st August and the feast of St. Lawrence will be celebrated on 10th August 2010.

Fr. Joswey Fernandes

When enquired about the other Centenary programmes, Fr. Joswey Fernandes informed that, the various programmes have been chalked out by the Centenary Committee and approved by the Finance Committee. The final stamp of approval for the Centenary programmes was given by the Parish Pastoral Council in a meeting held on Thursday, 27th May 2010.

According to Fr. Joswey, it was exactly on 2nd November, 100 years ago that the independent parish of Moodubelle dedicated to St. Lawrence was constituted. Hence, the Centenary day  will be on 2nd November 2010. However, as 2nd November happens to be the day dedicated to All Souls, it was decided to celebrate the centenary day on 1st November 2010 , on the feast of All the Saints. The day will be observed with a solemn Thanks-giving Mass followed by the community lunch, prepared collectively by the parishioners in a spirit of cooperation and unity.

The next major programme would be on Friday, 31st December 2010. On this day, all the  wards of the parish will bring in procession ‘Horekanike’ (Vojim) to the church. Horekanike from even non-Christian  brothers will be received.

On Sunday, 2nd January 2011, Confraternity Sunday will be observed with  Holy Mass and solemn Eucharistic procession in the morning. At noon there will ‘Annasantarpane’  during which the parish community will share food with non-Christian brothers and sisters. Parishioners from the neighbouring parishes-Kanajar, Pamboor and Kuntalnagar will also be invited for this ‘Annasantarpane’ programme.

On Monday, 3rd January 2011, there will be a gathering of all the religious from the parish. All the priests and nuns hailing from this parish who had joined different religious congregations and orders and serving in different places within and outside India will be invited for this gathering.  In the morning there will be Mass following which these priests and nuns will have lunch along with the members of the Parish Pastoral Council.
The eve of the solemn annual parish feast will be celebrated on Tuesday, 4th January 2011 in the form of Vespers (Besp). Following the Vespers there will be fireworks on a grand scale.

The solemn annual parish feast and the valedictory function of the Centenary Year  will be held on Wednesday, 5th January 2011. The feast Mass will be concelebrated with the Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza as the main celebrant. After the feast Mass there will be a short stage programme. In the evening of the same day, there will be a public function followed by a Tulu Drama.

Fr. Joswey further said that the Centenary programme has been chalked out quite in advance so that the parishioners who are in other cities and towns of India as well as abroad, and the priests and nuns who are also similarly placed can plan their holidays and make arrangements for their coming to Moodubelle during the Centenary Celebrations in large numbers and participate in these programmes.