Mangalore: Annual Feast of Infant Jesus Shrine on Jan 14

Mangalore: Annual Feast of Infant Jesus Shrine on Jan 14

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 4, 2013:  The Annual Feast of the Infant Jesus Shrine at Carmel Hill, Bikarnakatte in Mangalore will be celebrated with great solemnity and devotion on January 14. The theme chosen for the feast is “Prayer: the Core of Christian Life.”  As a spiritual preparation for the annual feast, nine days of Novena will be held from January 5 to 13.

Informing this to reporters here, Fr Pius James D’Souza, Superior of St Joseph’s Monastery, said the Festal Solemn Eucharist to be held on the Feast Day at 6 pm will be presided over by Dr Pius Thomas D’Souza, Bishop of Ajmer and will be concelebrated by Dr Archibald Gonsalves, Provincial Superior of the Carmelites. Several priests and hundreds of devotees from far and near will participate, he said.

On the Feast day, Masses will be held from 6 am to 12:30 pm followed by a special prayer service in Kannada at 1:30 pm, Fr James D’Souza informed.

In connection with the annual feast, a blood donation camp would be held on January 9 from 9 am to 1 pm. The camp will be inaugurated by State Minister for Health and Family Welfare UT Khader, he informed.

  A special catechesis will be given to the devotees during the nine days of Novena and on the feast day. On Novena Days free meals will be served to the devotees visiting the shrine. During Novena, Masses will be held in Konkani at 6 am, 7.30 am, 9 am, 10.30 am, in English at 5 pm and in Konkani and Kannada at 6 pm and 7.15 pm respectively.

As is the tradition, the key of a newly built house by the shrine will be handed over to the beneficiary Ronald Lobo from Bantwal, on the occasion of the annual feast. Every year the Shrine donates a house to the needy.

The Feast and Novena masses will be telecast live on V4 Namma Kudla Channel.

Fr Elias D’Souza, Director of Infant Jesus Shrine, Fr Stephen Pereira, Editor of ’Naman Ballok Jesu’ Konkani monthly and Elias Fernandes of  Four Winds Mass Communication Services were present at the press meet.