Media Release
Moodbidri, Jan 23: Corpus Christi Church, hosted an Ecumenical event on Wednesday under the banner of Christian Unity Octave 2025. Organized by the Church’s Commission for Christian unity, the event aimed to foster greater understanding, respect, and collaboration among different Christian denominations, with the ultimate goal of unity and cooperation.
The programme commenced with the faithful offering flowers to honour the Holy Bible, symbolizing reverence and unity in faith. Representatives from Christa Shanthi Church, Alangar, and Zion Church, Mastikatte, participated in the event, joining hands in prayer and discussion.
Pastor Santhosh Kumar of Christa Shanthi Church emphasized the need for various church denominations to come together and bridge existing gaps. He highlighted the beauty of celebrating each denomination’s uniqueness while being united in Jesus Christ. He further stressed that despite differences in administration and worship rites, the core faith remains the same.
Fr Onil D’Souza, the parish priest of Corpus Christi Church and Vicar Forane, suggested extending the celebration of Christian unity throughout the year rather than confining it to a single week. He shared experiences of students from Karnataka Theological College assisting in building homes for Catholic families and seminarians from St Joseph Seminary offering their service at Bethanya Ashram, run by the Church of South India.
Pastor Nithin Kumar from Zion Church, Mastikatte, spoke on the challenges Christians face today, both internally and externally. He called on the faithful to prepare for the future of the Church and expressed concerns about the declining number of youths attending services.
Prayers were offered for the Universal Church and the needs of the world. Choir groups from all three denominations sang devotional hymns in Kannada, enriching the spiritual atmosphere of the gathering.
Celine D’Souza, the coordinator of 21 commissions, compered the event, while Theresa Cardoza proposed the vote of thanks. John Barboza, the convener of the Commission for Christian unity, played a key role in coordinating the event’s success.
Approximately 60 participants from the three denominations attended the event, which concluded with the serving of refreshments to all attendees.