Udupi: St. Vincent De Paul Parishioners celebrate Annual Feast with great devotion and fervour

By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/Katapadi, 20 Nov 2014: Following the grand Vespers on Tuesday, the parishioners of St. Vincent De Paul Church, Katapadi celebrated their annual parish feast with great devotion and fervour on Wednesday, 19 November 2014 at 10.30 am.

 

The parishioners in their festive dress began to assemble in the church from 10 am. At 10.15 am, Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida, Parish Priest began distributing candles of honour beginning with the Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council-Leslie Soares and Mrs. Molita D’Souza-Secretary. Leslie Soares read the list of those who were entitled to receive the candles of honour including the founders, benefactors, members of the PPC, office bearers of various parish associations, Gurkars of Wards, donors for the renovation of the church and sponsors (mud-dhoms).

 

The solemn feast mass began at 10.30 am. The priests along with the chief celebrant-Rev. Fr. Ronald Fernandes, former parish priest of Katapadi and presently parish priest of St. Louis Church, Dahisar, Mumbai, liturgical animators and altar servers came in procession into the church as the brass band played on.

 

There was solemnity all around the church which was filled to the capacity with the devout parishioners.

 

 

The feast homily was delivered by Rev. Fr. Roshan D’Souza on the theme of Family Happiness. He said that the material things will not give the kind of happiness that each one deserves. By helping the others, by coming to the rescue of others by empathising with the poor one can really find happiness. Human being are never satisfied with whatever they have but crave for more and better things. These material things can never bring true happiness. Narrating the example of Blessed Mother Theresa, Rev. Fr. Roshan D’Souza said that when she gave shelter to the sick, abandoned and destitute, she never found out to which religion they belonged but gave unconditional love and care to all seeing the image of Jesus in all of them. Thus, she served humanity.

 

The choir, with beautiful singing enhanced the aura of the festive atmosphere. While Mrs. Clara D’Silva conducted the choir, Melvyn Monterio handles the Key-board  and Brian Pereira played the guitar.

 

Following the end of the feast mass, Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida thanked all the priests for concelebrating the solemn annual feast mass and all the parishioners in different capacities making the celebration of the feast a grand success.

 

The parish of St. Vincent De Paul was founded nearly 65 years ago. Presently there are 269 families in the parish. Since quite some time the parish has been administered by the priests belonging to the congregation of Holy Cross. Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida is the present parish priest of St. Vincent De Paul Church, Katapadi.