Udupi: Solemn Thanksgiving Mass Marks the First Anniversary of the Udupi Diocese

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pics by Alphonse Mendonca
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 15 Oct 2013: The first anniversary of the creation of the Udupi Diocese and  the installation of Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo as its first Bishop was celebrated with a solemn Thanksgiving Mass concelebrated by the Bishop along with nearly 50 priests, both diocesan and religious in the Milagres Cathedral on Tuesday, 15 October 2013 at 4 pm.

 

The Cathedral was full to capacity with the faithful who had come to participate in the Thanksgiving Mass and wish the Bishop on completion of one year of his service as the Bishop of Udupi.  Prior to the start of the procession of the priests and the Bishop along with the Altar Servers began from the  Milagres Tercentenary Hall, Mrs. Eugene Rebello read out briefly the achievements of Udupi Diocese during the last year.

 

The procession from the Tercentenary Hall to the Cathedral was quite majestic and colourful. In his introductory remark, the Bishop, Most Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo said that the solemn Mass is being offered in Thanksgiving to Almighty God for his abundant blessings and for the wellbeing of all the priests and religious as well as all the faithful of the diocese living within the diocese as well as outside in India and abroad.  With the Motto of the diocese in the words of Mother Marty,  “Do what He says…”, the Bishop said that we have been doing what Jesus had said in His Gospels.

 

Rev. Dr. Leslie D’Souza, Parish Priest of St. John the Evangelist Church, Shankarpura  in his homily narrated the incident of the election of the present Pope Francis  as people around the world  received the message “We have a Pope..”, similarly 15 months ago when the new Diocese of Udupi was declared and the appointment of Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo was proclaimed on the explicit orders of the former Pope Benedict XVI on 16 July 2012, the faithful of Udupi also had the same feelings that “We have a Diocese and a Bishop..”

 

Rev. Dr. Leslie D’Souza  built his homily on five words in Konakni beginning with ‘aa’-Arambh (Beginning), Apovnne-(Calling), Ashirvaad-(Blessing), Arpan-(Commitment) and Argam-(Thanksgiving). Rev. Dr. Leslie through the examples of Abraham and Moses from the Old Testament and Mother Mary from the New Testament beautifully and interestingly explained the five words and how these Biblical personalities fulfilled them in their lives dedicating themselves to the service of God.

 

Continuing further, Rev. Dr. Leslie D’Souza said that the clergy, religious and faithful of the Udupi Diocese are also being called for greater service since the beginning of the new diocese last year. All of us have to dedicate and commit ourselves to the progress of the diocese spiritually and materially and naturally we have to thank Almighty God for the new diocese and the Bishop who have completed one year in the service of God and the faithful.

 

At the end of the solemn Mass, Rev. Fr. Stany Lobo, Parish priest of  the Milagres Cathedral said that we should be happy on the ‘First Birthday’ of the diocese and wish ourselves ‘Happy Birthday’. Introducing the souvenir titled “Ashirvaad”, Rev. Fr. Stany Lobo said that the surplus amount form the proceedings of the souvenir will be utilized for bringing out the diocesan periodical journal or news bulletin in the near future. Thereafter, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo released the souvenir. 

 

 

In his message, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo thanked the Almighty God for the blessings that He had showered on the Udupi Diocese and expressed his gratitude to all the priest s and the religious for the selfless service that  they have been rendering to the Diocese of Udupi.  The Bishop also expressed gratitude to Rev. Fr. Stany Lobo, Parish Priest of the Milagres Cathedral and other resident priests for organizing the solemn Thanksgiving Mass.

 

The Bishop said that the faithful are the real strength of the diocese and expressed happiness saying that he has been receiving a lot of goodwill and affection from the people whenever he visited the parishes during the past one year. He also mentioned that presently he is on pastoral visit to different parishes of the Kundapura Varado and he has been receiving good cooperation from priests and parishioners. The Bishop thanked the media for its role in covering various events throughout the last year right from the inception of the Udupi Diocese and hoped that it will continue to do so in future as well.

 

The singing by the choir conducted by Fr. Mahesh D’Souza increased the solemnity of the Thanksgiving Mass. At the end of the Mass, the Bishop along with the concelebrating priests posed for the group picture.

 

As the people left the Cathedral following the end of the Mass, they were treated with sweets and cold drinks sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Simon-Sunita Fernandes of Kallianpur.