Pics: Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (JD/WD)
Karkala, Aug 10: The nine-day novena at St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Attur, came to an end with the titular feast celebration of St Lawrence on Saturday, August 10. Large number of devotees took part in the celebration with devotion.
Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop emeritus, diocese of Mangaluru, presided over the Eucharistic celebration, while Fr George D'Souza, rector, St Lawrence Basilica, Fr Roy Lobo, assistant parish priest, priests from Udupi and Mangaluru dioceses took part in the celebrations.
In his homily, Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza said, “We can experience the presence of God in various ways. We can experience the existence of Lord when we visit the church and take part in holy Eucharistic celebration. Jesus was crucified because of us. If we enter the church with faith, Jesus is seen waiting for us in the church. In Old Testament, God stayed with the people of Israel in form of a pillar of cloud. God proved his presence by creating a passage in between the sea for Israelites.
“God also provided them manna and meat to fulfill their hunger. In this way, Lord showed his presence. People felt that their God is with them. In New Testament, Jesus lived with the people and solved the people’s problems. He treated the patients as a doctor, Jesus provided food to hungry as a mother, Jesus visited the house of Zacchaeus and he declared that he will return the money four times more, which he collected in unlawful ways. He did so because he felt the presence of Jesus Christ.
"St Lawrence is a diaconate who was filled with the love of Jesus. He served the church as a diaconate and also as a treasurer of the church’s treasury. His duty was to help the downtrodden, sick, and poor people of Church. He saw the presence of Jesus in poor people of Church. Our Pope also says that the church is poor and church is for poor. Mother Theresa saw Jesus in poor people. God has made us affluent. We need to change our mind set about the poor people of our society. We need to share what we have. St Lawrence distributed the wealth of the church among poor and said that the poor people are the treasure of church,” he added.
Prior to the Eucharist, candles were distributed to the parishioners and to the sponsors of the titular feast.
The nine-day novena at St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Attur began on August 1 and on the same day, the third annual celebration of proclamation and dedication of St Lawrence Minor Basilica were held. During the nine days of novena, various priests celebrated the Eucharist and prayed for various intentions.
Fr George D'Souza, rector of the Basilica, thanked each and everyone involved in the arrangements made for the feast.
After the Mass, special prayers for the sick were conducted and blessings were invoked for the divine intervention in the lives of pilgrims. The feast concluded with the fellowship meal.