Udupi: Bishop Gerald Lobo and Vinay Kumar Sorake inaugurate Centenary Celebration of Shirva Church

By Wilson DSouza, Shirva
Pic By Glen Shirva
Bellevision Media Network

Shirva, Feb 03, 2014 : The year long centenary celebration of the Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva was inaugurated  on Sunday, 2 February 2014, which was also observed as Confraternity Sunday in preparation of the annual parish feast  in the presence of dignitaries and a large number of parishioners.

At 3 pm, Bishop of Udupi, Most Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo was welcomed at the main entrance of the church by the parish priest of Shirva, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro along with two assistant parish priests and Wilson D’Souza-newly elected Vice President and  William Machado-Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council.

 

The stage programme was presided over by Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo. Other dignitaries on the dais included: Vicar General-Rev.Msgr.Baptist Menezes,  Vinay Kumar Sorake-Minister for Urban Development and Minister in Charge of Udupi District, Rev.Fr.Stany Tauro-Parish Priest,Shirva, Fr.Henry Vaz and Fr.Avil D’Cunha –Assistant Parish Priests, Fr.Maxim D’Souza-Rector Don Bosco Youth Center, Wilson D’Souza-Vice Presdient of Parish Pastoral Council, William Machado-Secretary of Parish Pastoral Council, Mrs.Shalet D’Souza-Vice President of Shirva Panchayat, David D’Souza- President of Pilar-Mudarangadi Panchayat and Mrs. Pupa Acharya- President of Kalathur-Kuthyar Panchayat.

 

 

The yearlong programmes of the centenary celebration was formally inaugurated by Vinay Kumar Sorake. The Logo of the Centenary was unveiled by Rev. Msgr. Baptist Menezes-Vicar General of Udupi Diocese.

 

 

 

Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro presented the history of the Shirva parish and narrated the circumstances that led to the building of the Church dedicated to Our Lady of Health a hundred  years ago.

Speaking at this occasion, Vinay Kumar Sorake assured all kinds of help to the Centenary Committee in implementing various programmes associated with the Centenary Celebration of the Church. He also assured the people of Shirva that he would recommend for the elevation of the Shirva Grama Panchayat to the position of Town Panchayat.

Rev. Msgr Baptist Menezes-Vicar General of Udupi Diocese congratulating the parishioners of Shirva on the occasion of the inauguration of the yearlong centenary celebration of the building of the church recalled his association with Shirva and said that he was  born and educated in Shirva.

In his message, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo said that the centenary celebration of the Church of Our Lady of Health is not only a matter of joy for the people of Shirva but to all the Catholics spread over the region from Kanajar to Uchila as these regions were originally under the jurisdiction of the Shirva Church. In the course of the last century a number of new parishes came into existence and Shirva Church still remains the ‘mother church’ to many parishes.

Wilson D’Souza welcomed the guests and the gathering; William Machado proposed the vote of thanks and Denis Mathais compeered the programme.

Following the end of the stage programme, Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo concelebrated the Confraternity Mass. After the mass the Eucharistic procession was taken out from the church till the bus stand in Shirva and back to the church.