Confraternity Sunday Observed with devotion in St. Lawrence Parish, Moodubelle

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 01 Jan 2023: In anticipation of the Annual Parish Feast to be celebrated on Wednesday, 4 January 2023, the traditional Confraternity Sunday was observed on Sunday, 1 January 2023 with Holy Mass and Adoration of the Holy Eucharist followed by a solemn Eucharistic Procession through the Main Road of Moodubelle township.

 

The theme of this year’s Confraternity Sunday was “With the strength of the Holy Eucharist, let us build a strong  Parish Community”.

 

The Holy Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Leo Lasrado, Professor in St. Joseph’s Semianry, Jeppu, mangalore as the chief celebrant along with  Fr. George D’Souza-Parish Priest, Fr. Pradeep Cardoza-Assistant Parish Priest, Fr. Sunil Kumar D’Souza-Native of Moodubelle, Fr. Anston Fernandes (OFM Cap) and Fr. Ivan D’Souza (OFM Cap) from the Assisi Nilaya.

 

 

In his homily, Fr. Leo Lasrado stressed on the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist by narrating two important  Eucharistic Miracles, one in Lanciano, Italy and the other in Buenos Aires, Argentina.. The Miracle of Lanciano is a Eucharistic miracle alleged to have occurred in the eighth century in the city of Lanciano, Italy. According to tradition, a monk who had doubts about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist found, when he said the words of consecration at Mass, that the bread and wine changed into flesh and blood. The Catholic Church officially claims the miracle as authentic.

 

Three Eucharistic miracles occurred in the small church of St. Mary’s in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the years 1992, 1994, and 1996. All three happened under the leadership of Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. On 15 August 1996, a Consecrated Host was found discarded in the back of the church. When made aware of this, Fr. Alejandro Pezet picked It up and seeing that It was dirty, placed It in water and put the Host in the Tabernacle to dissolve. This is the proper action in this case. Twelve days later, when it was checked on to see if the Eucharist had dissolved. It was found to have changed in appearance and had reddish stains. Bishop Bergoglio was notified, and he recommended professional photos be taken. Over time, the Host changed further, and additional photos were taken on 6 September. Three years later, in 1999, after no signs of decay, the Holy See gave permission to Dr. Ricardo Castanon Gomez to lead an investigation into this transformed Consecrated Host. Dr. Gomez was a staunch atheist who converted to Catholicism after investigating this and other miracles.

 

Speaking on the theme of the Confraternity Sunday, “With the strength of the Holy Eucharist, let us build a strong  Parish Community”, Fr. Leo Lasrado said that th parish community should neither be like a ‘tube well’ community with narrow view, nor like a shallow open well, but should be like a flowing river.

 

 

At the end of the  Holy Mass, Fr. Leo Lasrado  conducted the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist.

 

Soon after the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, the grand Eucharistic Procession was conducted accompanied by the brass band. The procession passed through the road leading to the St. Lawrence PU College and turning right went through the Main Road. The shop owners and rickshaw drivers of the Moodubelle Township had sprinkled water on the road in order to avoid dust pollution. The Holy Eucharist was carried by Fr. Leo Lasrado on a decorated vehicle belonging to Ronald Sabi D’Souza. The choir sang hymns related to the Holy Sacrament throughout the procession.

 

With the parishioners returned to the church at Fr. Leo Lasrado recited the prayer of dedication of  individuals, groups, institutions and associations in the parish to the care of  Jesus. The Adoration concluded with the solemn Sacramental Blessing.

 

Fr. George D’Souza expressed gratitude to all those who had helped in preparing the procession path with buntings and decorations under the leadership of  Vincent Fernandes with the support of the youth-ICYM and YCS members. He also thanked Ronald Sabi D’Souza for providing his open vehicle for the Eucharistic Procession to carry the Holy Sacrament.