Moodubelle: Titular Feast of St. Lawrence Celebrated with fervour and devotion

By Eugene DSouza
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

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Moodubelle, 10 August 2011:  As every year, this year also the Titular Feast of St. Lawrence (Tharikechem Festh) was celebrated with great fervour and devotion by the parishioners of Moodubelle on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 10.30 am. Rev. Fr. Fred Mascarenhas, Dean of Udupi Deanery was the chief celebrant of the solemn Feast Mass along with 25 priests from the neighbouring parishes.

 

Before the commencement of the solemn Feast Mass, Alfonse Alva, Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council welcomed the guests,  priests and parishioners to the Titular Feast of St. Lawrence, the patron saint of the Moodubelle parish.

 

In his introductory remarks, Rev Fr Fred Mascarenhas, the chief celebrant of the Feast Mass emphasised the greatness of St. Lawrence in the church and highlighted his virtues and exhorted the parishioners to emulate his example.     

 

The homily was delivered by Fr. Rupesh Madtha, Assistant Parish Priest of the Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi.  He explained how a simple Lawrence became St. Lawrence and narrated in brief the service that was rendered by St. Lawrence to the church. In the course of the homily, Fr. Rupesh elaborated the role of the church in the life of the Catholics. He further said that if St. Lawrence embraced martyrdom, it was chiefly due to the fact that he had great faith in God and love of the church. Pointing out the dangers of modernism, Fr.  Rupesh said that there is a danger of dwindling faith and lack of spirit of prayer among a large number of Christians, especially the young who are increasingly becoming dependent on modern gadgets.  Under these circumstances, he said that we should learn from the virtues of St. Lawrence and become devout and blessed Catholics with greater faith in Jesus and the church. 

 

 

The spiritual preparation for the Titular Feast of St. Lawrence had begun in the form of the novena that started from August 1, 2011. The novena was conducted following the 6.30 mass in the morning and 4 pm mass in the evening during the week days and after the regular masses on Sunday. A large number of parishioners regularly participated in the novena.

 

Earlier, on Monday, August 8, 2011, members of St. Joseph Ward volunteered to clean the surroundings and premises of the church in preparation for the Titular Feast. 

 

A large number of parishioners attended the Titular Feast of their patron saint, St. Lawrence.  Prior to the Feast Mass, candles of honour were distributed from 10 am to 10.25 am by Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest to all the ‘Murdoms’ (sponsors). Mrs. Jacinta D’Souza, Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council read out the names of the ‘Murdoms’. 

 

The choir trained by Fr. Paul Sequeira sang all the hymns in melodious tune that raised the spirit of the congregation.  

 

Following the end of the Feast Mass, Fr. Joswey Fernandes, on behalf of the priests, extended best wishes of the Titular Feast of St. Lawrence to all the parishioners including all those who are working and residing in other parts of India and different countries of the world. He thanked the chief celebrant of the solemn Feast Mass, Rev. Fr. Fred Mascarenhas, Fr. Rupesh Madtha for his meaningful homily and all the priests for participating in the Feast Mass.  He also thanked the Parish Pastoral Council , Liturgical Committee, choir and all the volunteers

 

About St. Lawrence:

The esteem in which the Church holds St. Lawrence is seen in the fact that today’s celebration ranks as a feast. We know very little about his life. He is one of those whose martyrdom made a deep and lasting impression on the early Church and celebration of his feast day spread rapidly.

 

Lawrence  was a Roman deacon under Pope St. Sixtus II. Four days after this pope was put to death, Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, probably during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian.

 

Legendary details of his death were known to Damasus, Prudentius, Ambrose and Augustine. The church built over his tomb became one of the seven principal churches in Rome and a favourite place for Roman pilgrimages.

 

A well-known legend has persisted from earliest times. As deacon in Rome, Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material goods of the Church, and the distribution of alms to the poor. When Lawrence knew he would be arrested like the pope, he sought out the poor, widows and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had on hand, selling even the sacred vessels to increase the sum. 

When the prefect of Rome heard of this, he imagined that the Christians must have considerable treasure. He sent for Lawrence and said, “You Christians say we are cruel to you, but that is not what I have in mind. I am told that your priests offer in gold, that the sacred blood is received in silver cups, that you have golden candlesticks at your evening services. Now, your doctrine says you must render to Caesar what is his. Bring these treasures—the emperor needs them to maintain his forces. God does not cause money to be counted: He brought none of it into the world with him—only words. Give me the money, therefore, and be rich in words.”

 

Lawrence replied that the Church was indeed rich. “I will show you a valuable part. But give me time to set everything in order and make an inventory.” After three days he gathered a great number of blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned and widowed persons and put them in rows. When the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, “These are the treasure of the Church.”

 

The prefect was so angry he told Lawrence that he would indeed have his wish to die—but it would be by inches. He had a great gridiron prepared, with coals beneath it, and had Lawrence’s body placed on it. After the martyr had suffered the pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he made his famous cheerful remark, “It is well done. Turn me over!”

 

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