Udupi: Parish Community Joins in Celebrating Christmas in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 24 Dec: Large number of parishioners of St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle along with many of their family members who have come on vacation from abroad and India joined with great enthusiasm and fervor to celebrate Christmas with solemn feast mass and variety entertainment following the end of the mass on Tuesday, 24 December 2019.

 

Prior to the solemn feast mass, the choir presented Carols from 6.30 pm to 7 pm. Fr. Jithesh Castelino, Assistant Parish Priest introduced each and every Carol and explained its meaning before it was sung by the Choir.

 

The solemn feast mass was concelebrated by Fr. Sunil Kumar D’Souza as the chief celebrant accompanied by Fr. Clement Mascarenhas, Parish Priest, Fr. Jithesh Castelino and other priests from Moodubelle serving in North India who have come to be with their families during the Christmas season.

 

As the ‘Gloria’ was sung by the Choir, Fr. Sunil D’Souza unveiled the statue of Baby Jesus signifying the birth of Jesus.

 

In his homily, Fr. Sunil D’Souza narrated the origin of the feast of Christmas, its meaning and significance in  the lives of Christians. Citing a number of examples, Fr. Sunil pointed out how the Son of God came down to the earth and was born as a human child to redeem the mankind from the scourge of sin.

 

At the end of the feast mass, Fr. Clement Mascarenhas conveyed the greetings of Christmas to all parishioners within Moodubelle and outside. He expressed happiness at the presence of a large number of Bellenas from abroad and wished them well.

 

The feast mass was followed by the veneration of Baby Jesus as people came in line to pay their respect to Baby Jesus.

 

 

As people moved out of the church, they were found greeting each other and spreading the joy of Christmas.

 

Large number of parishioners gathered in front of the church for the variety entertainment programmes conducted by the ICYM. The Christmas Cake in the shape of the School Building of St. Lawrence High School that had just celebrated Diamond Jubilee was auctioned. There was also Housie Game and other fun-games to entertain the parishioners as part of the Christmas celebration. 

 

The Crib assembled by the youth of the parish is one of the chief attractions of the Christmas celebration in the church. The youth have taken a lot of time and imagination to prepare the Crib under the direction of Fr. Jithesh Castelino.