Udupi: Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Kallianpur Area Council held the Patron Feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and Annual Celebration at Mount Rosary Church, Santhekatte, Kallianpur on December 4.
The thanksgiving mass was celebrated at Mount Rosary Church at 10.30 am by Rev Fr. Anil Fernandes Capuchin, Assistant Parish Priest. In his homily, he spoke about the repent of sins with changing attitude towards divine life. We should prepare our hearts to receive Christ our Lord Savior, he said.
There was brief get together of Kallianpur Area Council, brothers and sisters of eight conferences of Society of St. Vincent de Paul Society at Mount Rosary Church mini Hall after the thanksgiving Eucharist celebrations.
Bro. Richard D’Souza, Kallianpur Area Council President, Bro. Fredrick Sequiera, Secretary of SSVP Central Committee, Diocese of Udupi, Mrs. Eugene Quadros Resource Person, Bro. Philip D’ Lima President of Mount Rosary SSVP Conference and Bro. Vincent Lewis Secretary of Kallianpur Area Council were present on the dais.
The programme started with Vincentians pre meeting prayers conducted by Bro. Richard D’Souza. Bro. Philip D’ Lima welcomed the gathering. Eugene Quadros inaugurated the programme lighting the lamp.
Eugene Quadros, former Vice President of Barkur Parish Pastoral Council and one of resource persons of the diocese was the chief guest. Sr. Rosay Quadros of Mount Rosary introduced the guest. In her address, she appreciated the work of Vincentians in their various capacities like giving shelter to the needy, adaptation of poor families and so on. Vincentians brothers and sisters are good Samaritans’ of our society. She asked, if we need still services of Vincentians in modern age? Even now in the modern era, the services of brothers and sisters’ of St. Vincent DePaul are commendable. She appreciated the Vincentians love and care for the poorest of the poor. She gave some of the instances of outstanding work and services towards downtrodden and weaker sections of the society.
Rev Fr. Rollwin Aranha, Assistant Parish Priest of Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur took pledge from the new SVP members of eight conferences of Kallianpur Area Council. In his brief address Fr. Rollwin Aranha gave wishes on the celebration of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception to the members and blessed the occasion.
Bro. Vincent Lewis Secretary placed briefly the consolidation report of all the eight conferences of Kallianpur Area Council.
Addressing the gathering, Bro Richard D’Souza said that the Society of St Vincent de Paul began in 1983 with six youth members under the leadership of Blessed Fredrick Ozanam. We need youngsters in our conferences to serve the poorest of the poor whom we can see Jesus Christ through our services. We need to strengthen our society in all the conferences of the Area Council, he said. He further called all the members to participate in all the meetings of the conferences.
Bro. Vincent Lewis proposed the vote of thanks. Sr. Helen Saldanha and Bro Royston Quadros of Mount Rosary compered the programme.
The programme concluded with a hymn, ‘moja lana bhavank’. The prayer on meal was conducted by Sr. Mary D’Sa of Mount Rosary. Lunch was served to all the participants of the Annual day and the feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.
