Karkala: Rs 10.84 Lakh Distributed in Alms to at Attur Shrine

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Karkala: The annual feast of St Lawrence shrine at Attur, concluded on Thursday January 28. It attracted more than 12 lakh devotees, breaking the barriers of faith.

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Food packets and alms were distributed to the destitute at the Shrine on January 29, after five days of the annual feast of the ‘Saint of Miracles’. The alms giving tradition at the shrine has been going on from the last Sixteen years.

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Prior to this practice, the destitute and beggars used to have a free run during the annual feast at Attur due to which most of the pilgrims had to face inconvenience and harassment from them for alms. Later, in line with the government policy of discouraging begging in public places and to avoid inconvenience to the pilgrims, the Shrine Committee with the help of the police decided to put an end to begging during the annual feast at Attur.

Instead, the pilgrims were asked to deposit their alms meant for the destitute in separate boxes kept for the purpose. The alms collected in those boxes were distributed to the destitute after the end of the five days of the annual feast along with packets of cooked food.

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The alms were distributed under the presence of Fr George D’Souza director of the shrine, Fr Vijay D’Souza Assistant parish priest and John D’Silva PRO. The beggars were divided into three categories depending on their problems and state of their physical health. Around 2000 destitutes received alms totalling Rs 10.84 lakh.

The distribution of alms and food packets to the destitutes could be considered as the final act of the annual feast of St Lawrence at the shrine at Attur-Karkala.

Lucas D’Souza, one of devotee who had come from Sasthan to the shrine on Friday also distributed snacks and alms to the destitute on the occasion.

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According to the life history of St Lawrence, the emperor of Rome had demanded that St Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church. Saint Ambrose is the earliest source for the tale of St Lawrence which says that he had requested three days time to gather all the wealth. St Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent it from being seized. On the third day, as the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the emperor and when the king ordered to give the treasure of the Church he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering and said these were the true treasures of the Church. The emperor was so angry that he announced the death sentence to St Lawrence. As a remembrance of this event every year, alms are being distributed to the beggars and destitutes at St Lawrence Shrine Attur.


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3 Comments

  1. Dear readers,

    When the annual feast of St Lawrence shrine at Attur, concluded with distributing of Alms for poor.The Christian man was on Friday tonsured, garlanded with shoes, and paraded on the streets of Orai in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly by Bajrang Dal activists who accused him of converting three Hindu men to Christianity and forcibly making them consume beef.

    Bajrang Dal activists tonsure man accused of converting Hindus into Christianity
    http://deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/300116/bajrang-dal-activists-tonsure-man-accused-of-converting-hindus-to-christianity.html

    The mob reportedly accused Awdhesh Savita of luring Hindus on the pretext of attending a satsang and allegedly converted them to Christianity. The activists did not allow Awdhesh to be taken to the police station following which, the police and PAC personnel reached the spot and took the victim to Orai Kotwali police station.

    In Modi’s India freedom of religion for minority is getting dearer whereas Hindutva elements can continue there ‘Ghar Wapsi’ programme.

    Jai Hind

    • Taqiyya artists brings up some random case of assault to hide the fact that his community has been systematically destroying Christian community in all over the world!! Remember, there were millions of Christians living in countries like Egypt to Pakistan. What happened to them and why is the population of minorities has reached such a low point?

  2. random case of assault to hide the fact that his community has been systematically destroying Christian community in all over the world!! -Atheist Mr.Original Pai

    Dear readers,

    RSS in show of strength – March in Shillong on Netaji birth anniversary
    http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160124/jsp/northeast/story_65544.jsp#.Vquy7FJa_C8

    The RSS on Saturday took out its maiden ‘Path Sanchalan’ (procession) here in the capital of Christian-majority to declare its presence Meghalaya.

    Nearly 300 cadres, dressed in RSS uniform with sticks in hand, joined the march which began at 8am from Upper Mawprem and passed through various routes before ending at Balika Vidyalaya School opposite Lady Keane College. It was organised by RSS Vibhag Karyawa, Shillong.
    The RSS cadres were mostly youth and elderly persons from Khasi Jaintia tribes who follow the indigenous faith – Niam Khasi, Niam Tre – as well as non-tribals. “We have 293 cadres, spread across 39 villages of Khasi-Jaintia hills who took part in the march, of whom 80 are cadres from non-tribal communities,” said Mangkashang Khongshei, the secretary of RSS Vibhag Karyawa, Shillong.

    Surprisingly they selected the event coinciding to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 119th birth anniversary.Where is the so called ‘social organisation’ with military style weapons training missing in last 6 decades after India’s independence?Why this organisation doesn’t even have single freedom fighter participated with Mahatma Gandhi freedom struggle and died for the nation?

    In a recent development Donning khaki shorts and white shirts, RSS activists conducted a Vijay Dashmi procession carrying firearms and swords in R S Pura town on the border. Ruling BJP MLA Gagan Bhagat, who also participated but did not carry any weapon, justified the action, saying the processionists had valid arms licence with them.The J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta and senior Bharatiya Janata Party legislators Sunday openly participated in right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s ‘route march’ in Jammu.

    RSS men accused of brandishing weapons during Jammu march
    http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/front-page/jk-speaker-bjp-leaders-join-rss-march-in-jammu/199908.html

    The Indian Arms Act prohibits display of weapons by any person, except authorised arms dealers, but they too can display them within their premises. Section 5B of the Act reads: “No person shall expose or display any permitted bore other than licence granted by the District Magistrate to authorised dealer within their premises.”

    Is constitution of India is separately defined for ‘Sangh parivar’ who can brandish weapons in full public view? Is it acceptable for PM Modi’s Ministry of Home affairs is Sikh,Muslims,Christians,Jains too take such march past?

    In the aftermath of ‘Godhra’,Tehelka sting operation has exposed the BJP MLA openly acknowledging the lethal weapons
    being transported and using it.Is Modi’s India is soft on ‘saffron terror’ unleashed by Hindutva forces?

    It is warning sign for North East,Jammu and Kashmir,Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in particular from Sangh parivar illegal weapons display.Slowly but surely another wave of bloodbath is being carefully planned.

    Jai Hind

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