Udupi: Belle Parishioners raise around Rs. 1,75,000/- on the occasion of Mission Sunday

By Eugene DSouza
Pics by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’belle, 21 Oct 2013: As in the previous years, this year too, the parishioners of Moodubelle St. Lawrence Church raised around Rs.1,75,000/- as their contribution on the occasion of the Mission Sunday on 20 October 2013. The total amount included the collection through the Mission Boxes which the parishioners keep in their houses, collection during  Mission Sunday  Masses, auction of articles donated by the parishioners on Mission Sunday and the proceeds from the stalls maintained by the members of the Stree Sanghattan since three successive weekends on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

The auctioning of articles donated by the parishioners soon after the 7.30 am Mass on Mission Sunday, 20 October 2013 has been an important event for raising funds for the Mission Sunday. Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes  who has been keen in raising maximum contribution for the Mission Sunday had initiated this practice few years ago. Parishioners have been donating year after year articles right from clothes to perfumes, vegetables, coconuts, cooked food, etc. to cocks. This year a turkey and a calf were listed for auctioning.

 

 

Fr. Paul Sequeira, Fr. Robert Lasrado (OFM Cap), Maxim D’Sa and Charles Quadros acted as auctioneers. A number of interested persons bid for various articles. It was quite exciting to see people raising the bids to outdo each other. As in the previous years,  Mr. Mukunda Kamath  bid for a cock and won it as he was the highest bidder.

 

According to Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, around Rs.90,000/- was raised through auctioning of these items this year.  He further said that from all sources the total amount  raised for Mission Sunday this year would be around Rs. 1,75,000/- He thanked all the parishioners for their generous contribution. He also expressed his gratitude to all the members of the Stree Sanghattan who had kept stalls and helped in raising funds for the Mission Sunday.