The Annual Feast of St. Antony’s Parish-Kuntalnagar celebrated

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 19 January 2011: The Annual Parish Feast of St. Antony’s Church was celebrated in an atmosphere of devotion and gaiety in the natural and picturesque settings of the Kuntalnagar hillock where the  church is located overseeing the green and serene valley  on Wednesday, 19th January 2011 at 10.30 am.

 

Prior to the solemn concelebrated Feast Mass, Fr. Jerome  Monteiro, the parish priest of Kuntalnagar distributed the ‘candles of Honour’ to all the members of the parish Pastoral Council, Gurkars and Representatives of the wards, presidents of different parish associations, those who had contributed towards the feast  and also  the sponsors of the annual feast right from the Confraternity Sunday. The Secretary of the Parish pastoral Cuncil, Theodore Mendonca read out the list of names.

 

The chief sponsors of the annual parish feast  are: Muddhom:  Sunita Lawrence Martis, Udyavara; Band on Confraternity Sunday:Pricilla valerian Lobo, St. Teresa Ward; lighting:Ronald fernandes, St. Joseph Ward; flowers on Confraternity Sunday:Stany D’Souza, Holy Family Ward; buntings: Monthu D’Souza, St. Antony Ward;  fire-works on Vespers (Besp) evening: Vincent D’Souza, St. Joseph Ward; sound system: Ivan Sequeira, Holy Family Ward; shamiana: Dolphy Fernandes, St. Jseph Ward; hymn pamphlets: Ashok and Albert D’Souza, St. Antony Ward; generator: Camil Sequeira, Holy Family Ward; flowers for annual feast: Camil Sequeira, Holy Family Ward; dinner on Vespers evening and lunch on fest day for the priests: Ronald Alva, Holy Family Ward and Wilfred Saldanha, Mumbai.

The solemn feast mass was concelebrated by 13 priests, Fr. Charles Lewis, the founder parish priest of Kuntalnagar and presently the parish priest of Pamboor  as the  chief celebrant. Rev. Fr. Mathew Vaz, Dean of Udupi Deanery was  one of the concelebrants.
The feast homily was delivered by Fr. Melwyn Noronha, assistant parish priest of Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi. Fr. Melwyn briefly described the redemption work that was undertaken by God through the Old and New Testament eventually sending His own Son-Jesus Christ. Fr. Melwyn aalso narrated in brief  the saintly life and virtues of St. Antony, the patron saint of Kuntalnagar parish.  He related the life of St. Antony to the readings from the Holy Scriptures during the mass.

 

Interpreting the Gospel reading, Fr. Melwyn said that we should be like the salt of the earth and light that should show the way to others. When we do something good to others we should never expect anything good in return. If we deserve we will be granted that goodness by Almighty God.  

 

 

Following the end of the mass, Camil Sequeira, the vice president of the Parish Pastoral Council, on behalf of Fr. Jerome Monteiro, the parish priest extended the greetings of the annual feast and expressed thanks to the chief celebrant, Fr. Charles Lewis, Rev. Fr. Mathew Vaz, the Dean of Udupi Deanery, Fr. Melwyn Noronha for his homily, all the priests who had participated in the concelebration of  the solemn feast Mass, all the donors, sponsorers, Roshan Castelino for the lighting and sound, the choir for its wonderful signing, Prakash Noronha of Pamboor for playing the key-board and all those who had helped directly or indirectly in helping to celebrate the annual parish feast in a befitting manner.

 

 

On behalf of the guest priests, Fr. Charles Lewis extended the warm greetings of the feast to fr. Jerome Monteiro, the parish priest of Kuntalnagar and all the parishioners.

 

A number of devotees were found lighting candles near the state of St. Antony in front of the church. There was moderate ‘santmari’ with few stalls. However, the stall of the ICYM and YCS with varieties of lucky games was the chief attraction of the feast revelers.