Titular Feast of St. Lawrence celebrated with great devotion and fervor in Moodubelle

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi/M’Belle, 10 Aug 2023: The titular feast of St. Lawrence was celebrated with great devotion and fervor in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle on Thursday, 10 August 2023 at 10 am. The morning was free from rain which made the celebration of the feast more convenient to the devotees of St. Lawrence. Parishioners with their best attires made their way to the church in large numbers occupying every seat within and outside the church.

 

Prior to the solemn feast mass, Fr. George D’Souza, Parish Priest of Moodubelle distributed the Candles of Honour to all mud-dhoms as Charles Quadros, Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) read out the names.

 

The solemn feast mass was concelebrated by the former Bishop of the Mangalore Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza as the chief celebrant along with Fr. George D’Souza-Parish Priest of Moodubelle, Fr. Pradeep Cardoza, Assisant Parish priest, Fr. Chalres Menezes-Dean of Udupi Deanery and priests from the Udupi Deanery and guest priests.

 

In his homily, Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza narrated the life and mission of St. Lawrence, the Patron Saint of Moodubelle Parish. He said that the early history of the church has been the most difficult one for the faithful as there were persecutions of Christians especially from the Roman Emperors. Many of them including St. Lawrence had to lay down their lives for the sake of their faith and for the preservation of the church. The blood of the early and later martyrs has nourished the church and strengthened its foundation. Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza also gave a number of examples from moder history as to how many people stood fast for their faith and sacrificed their lives. He made an appeal to the devotees of St. Lawrence that the faith that has been inherited by them should be made stronger and meaningful by following the example and teachings of Jesus Christ.

 

 

At the end of the Mass Bishop Aloysius distributed decorated candles of honour to the chief sponsors of the Titular Feast. He also distributed prizes to the winning Wards who has participated in the Ward-wise Quiz Competition on the life of St. Lawrence. Fr. Pradeep Cardoza read the list of the winning Wards.

 

Fr. George D’Souza conveyed the greetings of the Titular Feast to all the parishioners and thanked each and every one who  had supported and contributed in the celebration of the Titular Feast.

 

Fr. Charles Menezes, Dean of the Udupi Deanery conveyed the greetings of the titular feast to Fr. George D’Souza, the Parish Priest, Fr. Pradeep Cardoza-the Assistant Parish Priest and all the parishioners.

 

Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D‘Souza thanked Fr. George D’Souza for inviting him to celebrate the Titular Feast as the chief celebrant and conveyed the greetings of the feast to the parishioners.