Pics: Anush Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Nov 9: The silver jubilee year celebrations of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church, Nithyadar Nagar culminated with a thanksgiving Mass and valedictory ceremony on Thursday, November 8.
“This parish, in its span of 25 years, has secured good growth in spiritual life. A small community started here to worship our Lord. But year by year, the number of families increased. Along with spiritual build up, social development also took place,” said bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha who presided over the valedictory ceremony.
“This parish is located on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. Majority of the parishioners are poor but hard working people. They strive hard to give their children good education, who today have excelled in different fields,” he said and congratulated the parishioners for their service.
Ivan D Souza, MLC, who graced the event as chief guest said, “Nithyadar Nagar parish is known for unity of community members. Being a collective community, it made many wonders in the field of education and inter-community relationship. Many community leaders hail from this place. I appreciate the service of priests who served here. The development in both spiritual and social things proves that people from Nithyadar Nagar have accepted the priests’ leadership wholeheartedly.”
Fr J B Saldanha, vicar forane, St Joseph Vaz deanery said, “The celebration of silver jubilee indicates that Almighty’s blessings have poured on Nithyadar Nagar. The collective efforts of parish priests and lay people have resulted in many development works being done. Parish priests, appointed earlier gave importance to strengthen faith and personal development. Following them, community members promoted themselves through education and related things. Today, people from Nithyadar Nagar are one of the strongest communities in our deanery. I congratulate all members of the parish for their achievements,”
Former parish priests and vice-presidents of parish council were felicitated by the bishop and dignitaries.
Fr Valerian D’Souza, parish priest, Milagres Church, Santhosh Kumar Rai, Boliyar, BJP president, Mangaluru constituency, Anil Lobo, chairman, MCC Bank, and Rita Sybil D’Souza, vice-president, parish council were present.
Fr Elias D’Souza, parish priest, welcomed the dignitaries and gathering.
After the stage event, a musical concert was held by team 'O...La..Re’.