Annual Parish Feast Celebrated at St. Lawrence Church, Mooddubelle with devotion and grandeur

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 08 Jan 2025: The Annual Parish Feast of St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle was celebrated on Wednesday, 08 January 2025 with devotion and grandeur as a large number of parishioners participated in the solemn festal Mass.

 

The proceedings of the Annual Parish Feast commenced with the distribution of Candles of Honour at 9.30 am. While the Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council Charles Quadros read the names of the donors and sponsors, Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, Parish Priest St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle distributed the candles.

 

The solemn feast Mass started at 10 am.  Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida (CSC)-Provincial Superior, Fathers of the Holy Cross, South India Province was the chief celebrant assisted by Rev. Fr. George D’Souza and Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes-Dean of Udupi Deanery. Altogether 29 priests participated in the concelebration of the solemn feast Mass.

 

In his homily, elaborating the theme of the Annual Feast Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida highlighted the importance of the Year of Jubilee proclaimed by Pope Francis during this year. We are all ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. Hope is like oil in the engine, medicine for the sick. Narrating the virtues of St. Lawrence, Patron Saint of Moodubelle, Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida said that St. Lawrence gives hope to those who are desperate in their lives. Early Christians including St. Lawrence had  to suffer for their faith. However, his martyrdom has given hope. In the Old Testament, there is an example of Job who suffered a lot, but his faith and hope in God was exemplary. Life of everyone is full of turmoil and problems, but faith and hope is the way of salvation. 

At the end of the solemn feast mass, Rev. Fr. George D’Souza distributed candles to the sponsors of the Annual Parish Feast, Vespers and Confraternity Sunday. He also conveyed the greetings of the feast to all parishioners and expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the Annual Parish Feast.

 

Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes-Dean of Udupi Deanery conveyed the greetings of the Annual Feast to all the parishioners of Moodubelle.