Titular Feast of St Peter, the patron celebrated in Barkur Church.

Udupi – Barkur: Around 10.15 am on Thursday, 29th June, 2023, the historical, artistic renovated church full to its capacity as the faithful gathered to thank Almighty Lord for the favours and blessings received in abundance through their venerated patron Apostle Peter.

Once the recognition and honour of various donors and main sponsors Mrs Lucy Fernandes and Family Kachhur was over with presenting candles, the well set Choir team lead by its leader Eric Soans  gave the fitting start to the liturgy with entrance hymn, as the main celebrant Rev Fr Robert DSouza the Principal of Lourdes High School, Bijai Mangalore, Very Rev Fr. Valerian Mendonca, Rector and Vicar Vara of the Kallianpur deanery, former parish priest Rev Fr Philip Neri Aranha , almost all priests from parishes of the varado and other religious with few guest priests, entered the Church in a procession with brass band team playing popular tunes to herald the beginning of festal celebrations.

Assistant and resident priest Rev Fr Rolwin Fernandes gave a brief introduction signifying the importance of this feast and extended a warm and cordial welcome to all gathered.

The main celebrant Rev Fr. Robert DSouza in his beautifully knitted homily focussed on the life and living of Simon the fisherman to Peter the rock, on which Jesus planned and executed to build his Church. With his selected short stories, he explained how one to be focussed to God, thereby lead a life united in the family, ward, parish as a whole. He had begun with extending greetings to all. Further he brought to light a miracle – by  devoutly reciting the Novena of St  Peter given to him a leaflet by the then Vicar of Barkur Rev Fr Valerian, which took place in distant Permannur, while Fr JB Saldanha was serving there, ventured to build a Chapel uniting few Catholic families basically hailing from fishermen’s profession. That small Community of Catholics residing on the shores of Arabian Sea are the true witnesses of benevolent care of Jesus through His disciple St Peter….!!

One more special attraction of today’s celebration was, the Creed sung and led by the newly arrived vicar Rev Fr Ronal Miranda, to its perfection, took the faithful to a different world. The Choir team gave him company to be melodious and effective. Best arrangements were in place to involve all the faithful.

Once the Holy Mass was over, new Vicar Rev Fr Ronald Miranda took the occasion to wish a happy feast to all the parishioners in the church, at homes and elsewhere and guests and all who supported and cooperated, as he has not completed not even a month but contented to see the devotion and dedication of parishioners far and near, as one parish community. He also thanked the Parish pastoral Council and various pious organisations. He extended the Invitation to all Barkurians settled in Mumbai to partake in the Patron Feast scheduled on Sunday 2nd July in Paloty Church Andheri, Mumbai.

Very Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca, who too served earlier as Vicar of Barkur, recalled his memories of those wonderful 5 years and extended festal greetings to all Barkurians on behalf of main celebrant and priests present. He had a word of appreciation to see the youth and children involved in Choir and other liturgical services over here today and wished this positive switch over should continue and elders by taking a backseat encourage them, he opined.

The ‘Pirjenth Fernandes Family’ organised sweets to all gathered after the Holy Mass and parishioners spent reasonable time in the ground to exchange greetings of Patron’s Feast.

It was a real festive look around the Church being a public holiday and young and elderly participated in union truly to make it a celebration of a different kind.