Moodubelle, 30 August 2011: Braving the nightlong rains, children with colourful flowers ushered in the Novena in preparation for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Monti Festh) on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. In order to enable the school children to participate in the novena and then attend their respective schools, the Novena Masses during the weekdays are being held at 8.30 am.
The Mass on the first day of the Novena was jointly offered by Fr.Fr. Joswey Fernandes and Fr. Lancy Saldanha In his introductory remarks before the commencement of the Novena Mass, Fr. Joswey said that as we begin the novena in preparation of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we should understand the fact that Virgin Mary taught us how to love God and our brothers and sisters and the entire humanity.
At the end of the Mass, Fr. Joswey recited the novena prayer following which children first and later adults went in procession in front of the altar where the statue of infant Mary enshrined in the glass box was kept and offered few flowers before assembling in the portico around another similar statue. Meanwhile, the ever melodious hymn “Sakkad Sangatha Melyam, Sakkad Lagim Soryam….” Was sung by the entire congregation. As it was raining the ritual of offering flowers at the Grotto, the usual practice could not be conducted.
After everyone assembled in the portico, children showered the flowers on the statue of the Infant Mary while the hymn “Moriyek Hogolshiyam….”was rendered. As children walked away after completing the ritual of offering flowers to Blessed Virgin Mary, they were treated with sweets which will be continued throughout the nine days of the novena.