Udupi: Most Awaited Monthi Festh Celebrated in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Pics by Anil Alva and Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 08 Sep 2022: The most awaited feast of the Nativity of Mother Mary, popularly known as Monthi Festh was celebrated with great devotion and gaiety in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle on Thursday, 8 September 2022 at 8 am. The incessant rains throughout thee night and the morning did not hamper the festive spirit as the church was packed to the capacity with devotees of Mother Mary with children continuing to manifest their love and devotion to Mother Mary by carrying varieties of flowers as they did during the last nine days of the novena.

 

Due to the rains, unlike the previous years, the new paddy could not be  blessed in front of the Grotto. The service of the blessing of the paddy and offering flowers to Mother Mary was conducted in the portico of the church where children with flowers and Parish pastoral Council members gathered. Fr. George ‘Souza, Parish Priest of St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle conducted the prayer service and blessed the new paddy. Thereafter, the children offered flowers as the choir sang the hymn, “Moriyek Hogolshiyam…”

 

 

Following the service in the portico, the children occupied their seats in the front rows of the church. Members of the Parish Pastoral Council entered the church in procession carrying the bundles of blessed new paddy and laid in front of the main Altar.

 

The Solemn festive mass was concelebrated by Fr. George D’Souza as the chief celebrant accompanied by Fr. Pradeep Cardoza-Assistant Parish Priest, Fr. Ivan Martis, Fr. Anil Cornelio-Rector of Diocesan Minor Seminary, Fr. Paul Lobo S.J., and Fr. Anston Fernandes (OFM Cap).

 

In his homily, Fr. Pradeep Cardoza briefly traced the origin of the fest of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary and the significance of the feast in Christian Church and Christian family.

 

Following the end of the festive mass, Fr. George D’Souza conveyed the greetings of Monthi Festh to all the parishioners and thanked all the sponsors and those who had helped in celebrating the feast.

 

 

The students from firs to tenth standards who were victorious in the Marian Quiz conducted by Fr. Pradeep Cardoza were given prizes by Fr. George D’Souza as Fr. Pradeep Cardoza read out their names.

 

The sponsor of sugar cane-Gerald Fernandes-Vice President of the PPC and new paddy-Lawrence Alva and others and those who had sponsored sweets to children during the novena days were honoured by Fr. George D’Souza by giving them candles of honou as Charles Quadros, Secretary of the PPC read out their names.

 

Fr. George D’Souza handed over the new paddy bundles to all the members of the PPC to be distributed to the parishioners soon after the end of the festive mass.

 

As the concluding hymn was in progress, members of the PPC distributed the new paddy sheaves to the parishioners who received with great respect and reverence and carried home.

 

Sugar cane was distributed to children as they exited from the church.

 

The entire liturgy of the festive mass was animated by the children.