Media Release

Udupi, December 4: Five hundred Bethany well wishers, Lay Associates, boarders and Sisters from Mangalore and Udupi Diocese made a pilgrimage, to St Francis Xavier Church Udyavar, on the occasion of the feast of St Francis Xavier.

The church dedicated to St Francis Xavier was built by Servant of God Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, the founder of Bethany congregation in the year 1906 when he was the parish priest at Udyavar.

Fr Cyprian Pinto the parish priest offered a special mass for the pilgrim group which was attended by the local parishioners too.

During the homily he extolled the missionary zeal of St Francis and called up on the hearers to use innovate methods to spread the Kingdom of God among the people emulating the example of St Francis Xavier. 

So it gave Clarian call to all to enthuse themselves with the missionary zeal in this year of faith.
Prior to the Eucharistic sacrifice the pilgrims spend half an hour interceding for various needs of the Diocese of Mangalore and Udupi.

Raymond Mascarenhas was a great devotee of St Francis Xavier and he had added Francis to his name when he received a special favor through the intercession of this saint.

In his first appointment as the parish priest at Udyavar Raymond exemplified the zeal of St Francis Xavier, his patron saint which the imposing church building more than 100 years old conveys. The church is all set to celebrate the feast on Wednesday November 5.