Udupi/M’Belle: Bishop Dr.Gerald Isaac Lobo warmly welcomed on his first Pastoral Visit to the

By Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 16 Nov 2014: Bishop of Udupi Diocese was accorded a warm welcome on his first official three days long  Pastoral Visit to St. Lawrence Parish,  Moodubelle on Saturday, 15 November 2014 at 3.30 pm. The Bishop was received at the main gate by Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Parish Priest of Moodubelle along with other priests, Alphonse K. Alva-Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council(PPC) and Rev. Fr. Victor Fernandes (OFM Cap)-Superior of Assisi Nilaya by offering jasmine garlands. The Bishop was also offered traditional ‘aarati’ and was taken in procession to the church accompanied by band and peeling of the church bell.

 

On entering the church, the Bishop knelt in front of the main altar as the choir rendered the hymn in honour of him. Thereafter, the Parish Priest offered prayer for the Bishop incensed him. The Bishop blessed  the congregation by sprinkling holy water and conferred  general blessing on them.

 

Next, the Parish Priest brought the Crucifix to the Bishop which he reverently kissed. Thereafter, the Bishop received the candle of honour lighted from the Pascal Candle from the Parish Priest and other priests and members of the PPC lighted their candles from that of the Bishop and stood in line around the main altar. The hymn in honour of the Pope was sung next. After a brief prayer service, the Bishop conferred the Indulgence Blessing on the congregation.

 

Commemoration of  and prayers for the departed souls of the parishioners were conducted. Following the readings from the Holy Scriptures, the Bishop in his homily on death compared the life of human beings on this earth to a train journey. Quoting St. Paul, the Bishop also said that the life does not end with death, but gets itself transformed. Further he said that human life in this world  has been compared with flowers, grass and rain bubbles. He narrated episodes from the Gospels in which Jesus raised the dead to life. Finally, through his own resurrection on the third day of his Crucifixion, Jesus conquered death.

 

 

As it was raining heavily, instead of going to the cemetery, the rest of the prayer service for the departed souls was conducted in the church itself.

 

Following the end of the prayer service, the Bishop took a review of the catechism of the students who will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation during the mass on Sunday, 16 November 2014.

 

The Bishop had interaction with the YCS and ICYM members and urged them to concentrate on their studies and acquire efficiency in their respective subjects. He made an appeal to pursue higher education, appear for competitive examinations and seek government service. 

 

Thereafter, the Bishop had a meeting with the Parish Finance Committee followed by another meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council in which he stressed on the need to plan yearlong programmes involving the eighteen commissions in the Diocesan Pastoral Plan.

 

Following the recitation of Rosary with the priests and members of the PPC, the Bishop joined them for the dinner.