Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 16: On November 9, the serene ambience of St Joseph the Worker Church wore a festive look with colourful flags. With hearts filled with glee, the parish priest Fr Anil DMello along with the parish community accorded a warm, genial and hospitable welcome to Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha with a bouquet of flowers and with the guard of honour by the symphonic rhythm of Brass Band.
The parishioners assembled in large numbers to witness this historic event, the pastoral visit by the bishop and proceeded to the church in procession singing the hymn ‘Jezu Borya Govlya’ followed by the ceremony of the pastoral visit, conducted by the parish priest. Prayers were offered for the bishop as well as for the universal church. The bishop then addressed the confirmands and quizzed them on 'Confirmed in the Spirit', 'Confirmed in Discipleship', 'Confirmed in Holiness'.
He then celebrated the holy Eucharist along with Fr Anil DMello and Fr Rohan Lobo (secretary to the bishop) during which he administered the sacrament of confirmation to 56 children of the parish. In his homily the bishop reminded the parents of their duties to ensure that these young children are trained in prayer and in the basic elements of the faith that are included in the creed and vividly explicated in different ways to practise and grow in faith. After the mass, he visited the aged and sick in their homes and prayed for them.
On November 10, the bishop addressed the entire parish community and elucidated the meaning, origin of the terms ‘Church’ and ‘Catholic’. He then spoke about the practical ways to enhance faith, the ways and means to be a witness to Christ and calling to attain sainthood. Holy mass was then offered by the bishop along with the faithful. The last two articles of Catholic faith namely, ‘The Resurrection of the Body’ and in ‘Life Everlasting’ were beautifully exemplified in the homily of the bishop. At the end of the mass, an honorary citation to the bishop was read by the parish priest, Fr Anil DMello. After the mass, the bishop blessed the parish graves and thereafter organized an informal meeting with the families of the priests and religious of the parish.
His inspiring and invigorating message to the members of each association of the parish: altar boys, Marian Sodality, The Secular Franciscan Order, ICYM, the core committee of Small Christian Community, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, Catholic Sabha and choir group was indeed commendable. The bishop met members of the Parish Pastoral Council and articulated their role in the progress of the parish.
The bishop then visited the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross Convent and attended an SCC meeting in the Holy Family ward. At 6 pm the parish priest, Fr Anil DMello, Bro Ivan Cordeiro, Parish Pastoral Council members and the faithful bid farewell to the bishop.
It was an awesome experience to have the shepherd amidst them for two days and indeed the visit of the bishop to the parish was a blessing.