Pics: Umesh Marapalli

Daijiworld Media Network- Udupi(HB)

Udupi, Jan 6: Thousands of devotees witnessed the grand inauguration and blessing of the newly built Mount Rosary church at Santhekatte (Kallianpur) here on Tuesday January 6.

Jerry Vincent Dias,vice president of parish pastoral council and president of builders association with and Molly Dias inaugurated the stage programme symbolically by releasing balloons.

Dr Gerald Issac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi diocese blessed the gathering. He said that the church does not belong only to christian community but also to all the people of other religions.

Dr Aloysius P D’Souza, bishop of Mangaluru, offered the first Eucharistic service in the new church in the presence of hundreds of priests, nuns and thousands of christians as well as non-christians.

After the service he said “We have to keep our soul clean first, external beauty is not important. While entering the church the designs look attractive, but our prayers to seek the blessings of God are much more important."

Oscar Fernandes speaking on the occasion said  “This is my birth place and I always used to go to church for prayer here. It reminds me of my childhood days. We have to indulge in welfare programmes and think on development, only then can we achieve our goals."

Udupi MLA, Pramod Madhwaraj said that it is a matter of pleasure to him, because this is the first church inaugurated after he became MLA. He was also happy with many churches being constructed in the nearby areas.

He said that he has fulfilled his promise by completing the road construction from Santhekatte junction to church. He conveyed his best wishes on the occasion.

The programme began with invocation by students of the church School. Many cultural programmes glittered the occasion.

Before the inaguaration of the church, the inter-religious get-together was held on January 5, headed by the Bishop of Udupi.

Fr Denis D’Sa, PRO, Udupi diocese, the faithful of Mount Rosary parish and Kallianpur deanery (Varado), non-Christians, Dr Leo Cornelio, Archbishop of Bhopal Archdiocese, Dr Gerald John Mathias  Bishop of Lucknow diocese, district-in-charge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLC Ivan D’Souza , Rev Oswald Lewis, Bishop Jaipur district, Fr Stany Lobo, Dean Kallianpur Deanery, Loura Rodrigues, Superior, Goretti convent, Kallianpur, Satish Nayak, president, Kallianpur panchayat, former MP Jayaprakash Hegde, former MLA Raghupathi Bhat, Janardhan Thonse and others were present.