Mount Rosary Church, Santhekatte – Kallianpur, Celebrates Monthi Festh.

Udupi: After the weeklong, rather Nine days preparations, popularly known as Novena and showering of flowers the parishioners gathered together in large number to celebrate the Monthi Festh. As it was reported earlier in these pages, this feast has deep rooted cultural values, as it is a family feast for more than one reason. Though in these days festal occasions remained as routine formalities and rituals, mostly confined to be a low key affair. However,  Monthi Festh never lost its significance, participation and devotion in Coastal Districts in particular.In Santhekatte, Kallianpur, Friday, 8th September, 2023 the morning was unusually brighter with Sunrays giving a feel of warmth and the fragrance of fresh flowers adding and dwindling the spirits of the faithful, humming with Marian hymns, who gathered in large number near the front gate of the Church adjacent to Mouth Rosary English School, where the bundles of new rice corns neatly organised, eagerly waiting for blessings.

Parish Priest Rev. Dr. Roque DSouza accompanied with Asst Vicar Rev Fr. Oliver Nazareth, especially the main celebrant Rev Fr Ronson DSouza, Rector Holy Cross Fathers Seminary, Katpady, along with well attractive troupe of altar servers and Church Laity leaders gave a perfect start with the solemn prayers raised to invoke Almighty Lords blessings for the gift of new crop / grains.

The whole congregation arrived in a colourful procession led by the brass band adding melody to the festivities; a large number of children showering the flowers, from tiny tots to High School along with the singing of Marian hymns, along with youth carrying the beautifully decorated phalkin, housing the statue of Infant Mary, gracefully entered the well decorated spacious Church, which was unusually overflowing. As the Church Choir rose to sing the entrance hymn, Noval vorta-volan, Mari Zalmala the main celebrant Fr Ronson, echoed the importance of this day.

In his well prepared homily dwelt on the role of Mary, ‘the first tabernacle who carried Jesus in her womb and first disciple who stood by Him both letter and spirit from conception, birth to death. Though we read very little about Mary in the Gospel, the Church always considers the life and living of Mary always remained inspirational. As daughter of St Joachim and Anna who grown with great ideals and values always remained faithful to God’s calling and mission as a humble maid…..’

Rev Fr Ronson continued, ‘Feast of nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary has many attributes and special features practiced by our ancestors and forefathers. It’s a feast of new crop, recognising the role of farming community, feast of the family and get together, normally with pure vegetarian menu etc has imbibed many rituals from our surrounding, over the centuries’. Before concluding he reminded, in these years, the occasion also utilised, at the backdrop of discrimination and exploitation, to familiarise the role of ‘girl child as a blessing’ in our otherwise male dominated society and her multi faceted personality and significance.

It is worth a note that, on Nine Days of Novena, each day a theme, highlighting Mother Mary’s infancy was handpicked and a brief, crispy narrative was shared and parishioners were encouraged to write a page or two on those points, especially children.

After the Thanks giving Holy Eucharist, blessed new rice corns / Novem were distributed to the faithful and arrangements were in place to have cake, laddus and Malt to all gathered. Children were the happiest flock who had gift hampers with goodies and sweets and lastly sugarcane.

Parish priest Rev. Dr Roque DSouza, took the opportunity to extend festal greetings to all the parishioners, including those unable to attend and others earning their livelihood outside and abroad…! He recalled the contribution, co-operation and co-ordination offered by Parish Pastoral Council, the Gurkars, Stree Sanghatan, ICYM / YCS, Altar Serves and all pious organisations of the parish for the smooth and meaningful Novena & festal celebrations. He had a special word of appreciation to the Pirjenth Family of Late Edwin Elias & Jessie Saldanha, who made elaborate arrangements to have the Festal Mass with devotion and refreshments after the Holy Mass. Winners in the just concluded Bible related drawing competitions both at the parish and Diocesan level were recognised on this occasion. Our readers are encouraged to watch the photo Album of the event.

Ten days of unique celebrations in the church where the visible participation of children was witnessed in the liturgy and now at homes, rightly a joyful season for children, otherwise in these days preoccupied with mobiles, computers. Truly they miss the ever green Konkani hymns –‘ Sakkad Sangatha Melyan, sakkad lagin Soryan’ & ‘Moriyek Hogolsuyan’ and the thrill of showering flowers in union and collection of tiny gifts as well as chocolates after the novena….yes, for them and for us elders too, now it’s a long wait to eagerly look and wait for coming September.