Udupi: Moodubelle parishioners participate in the Way of the Cross through Kuduremale Hill

By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 04 April 2014: It was a unique Way of the Cross in natural setting as nearly 170 parishioners of Moodubelle  devoutly walked uphill through rough road halting at makeshift Stations of the Cross at regular intervals where Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Moodueblle conducted the devotion of the Way of the Cross with recitation and meditation followed by appropriate hymns on Friday, 4 April 2014 from 4 pm  followed by mass jointly offered by Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes and Rev. Fr. Robert Lasrado (OFM Cap).

 

The Way of the Cross to the Kuduremale Hill was organized by the members of St. Francis Xavier I Ward as the hill is situated within its boundaries. By 4pm ward members and parishioners from other wards assembled near the Grotto of Holy Trinity built by Joseph Lobo and his son James Lobo within his property.  Following the welcome by Francis Lobo, Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes  recited the opening prayer before the commencement of the Way of the Cross.  The First Station was located just behind the Shrine under a  tall Cross. The rest of the stations were on the sloppy winding road that led to the small plateau on the top of the Kuduremale Hill where the last two Stations of the Cross were located.

 

 

Following the end of the Way of the Cross, Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes and Rev. Fr. Robert Lasrado (OFM Cap) concelebrated the Mass. By that time the eastern sky became quite cloudy and dark with the sound of thunder and cool breeze. Incidentally,  the weather had been quite hot and sultry since four to five days. The heat and sweat could be felt as the Way of the Cross proceeded towards the plateau of the Kuduremale Hill. As the mass was about to end  it began to drizzle and few heavy showers poured down when the  mass ended. 

 

It was my first visit to the top of Kuduremale from where one could see the distant landscape with all its beauty. One can view clearly the Nandikoor Power Plant and the Kunjarugiri Hills. The sight was quite pleasing that too under the cloudy sky and cool breeze flowing across.

 

 

Quite a number of elderly women participated in the Way of the Cross. One elderly woman who is 83 years old said that until her marriage at the age of 14 years she used to climb the hill to graze the cattle, but since her marriage she never went up to the top of the hill which used to be the hideout of wild animals especially tigers.

 

As people got down from the hill following the end of the mass, they carried the chairs down thus lightening the burden of  the organizers. The participants in the Way of the Cross were served snacks and cold drinks sponsored by Joseph Lobo and his family-wife Clotilda and son James.

Benedict Martis, Gurkar of St. Francis I Ward organizer of the  Way of the Cross on the parish level for the first time at Kuduremale  thanked Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Rev. Fr. Robert Lasrado (OFM Cap) and all the parishioners for their participation in the Way of the Cross though at the Ward level they had been organizing the Way of the Cross to the Kuduremale Hill since the last 10 years.