Udupi: Grand celebration of annual parish feast of St. Antony Church Kuntalnagar
By Alphonse Mendonsa
Bellevision Media Network
Kuntalnagar, 21 Jan 2017: The annual parish feast of St. Antony, Patron Saint of Kuntalnagar Parish, was celebrated with great devotion, enthusiasm at St. Antony’s Church, Kuntalnagar on Wednesday, 18 January 2017 at 10:30am.
The chief celebrant of the Holy Eucharistic Mass of the feast was Rev. Fr. Clement Mascarenhas (Parish Priest, Moodubelle) The Holy Mass was also attended by many priests from neighbouring parishes and from Udupi Diocese and a large number of Parishioners.
Fr. Clement delivered a brief homily wherein he narrated how St. Antony began his preaching filled with holy spirit, though he was a just a novice who was ordained as priest but given meagre task of taking care of kitchen and never addressed the faithful before. But his first sermon was so powerful and had a permanent impact on the gathering that particular day. God had chosen St. Antony as his Intrument to preach and spread the good news. As we all know the power of sermons delivered by St. Antony later in his life and the greatest miracles he has performed and became a great saint. Fr. Clement said God gave him good tongue to preach and not to gossip which we all do. He said tongue is a very powerful part of the body and it should preach good things and speak good of other people rather than curse which is not at all accepted. He sited many examples how the tongue had caused damages and also sited some examples how it had done good work especially by great preachers to speak good of others and spreading word of God.
The parish priest of Kuntalnagar Parish Rev. Fr. Denis D’sa thanked all the priests who attended in large numbers, the faithful, organizers, choir and ICYM especially.
The main sponsors who contributed to the annual feast were honoured with the blessed candles on the auspicious occasion.
The church choir rendered melodious hymns during the service. Rev. Fr. Fredrick Mascarenhas (Vicar of Udupi Ward) spoke on the occasion and praised Kuntalnagar Parish and the faithful for their participation in several activities organized by Parish. He also thanked Fr. Denis D’Sa for his guiding force.
After the Holy Eucharistic Mass the faithful were seen greeting each other, visiting the stalls and lighting candles by the side of the shrine. ICYM members put up a few stalls and conducted various games which were heavily crowded until 10pm. People enjoyed all the games, variety of Ice creams, food stalls and various stalls of toys.