Annual Feast Celebrated at St Mother Teresa Church, Paldene
Mangaluru: The annual feast of St Mother Teresa Church, Paldene, Mangaluru, was celebrated with great devotion and solemnity on Sunday, October 11.
The festive Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Rev. Fr Dennis Alexander D’Souza of the Mother Church of the Udupi Diocese. In his homily, he reflected on the exemplary life and values of St Mother Teresa, the patroness of the church, and encouraged the faithful to follow her ideals in their daily lives.
He said that St Mother Teresa’s lifelong dedication to serving the poor, the destitute and the needy continued to inspire people across the world. He added that the faithful of Paldene Church were blessed to have such an exemplary patron saint.
Fr Dennis urged the congregation to give thanks to God, reflect on their lives and extend a helping hand to those in need. He encouraged everyone to serve the sick, the poor and the hungry in whatever way possible, emphasising that sincere prayer and selfless service bring blessings and make life more meaningful and joyful.
The Eucharistic celebration was attended by Rev. Fr Melvin D’Cunha, Rev. Fr Robin Lopez, Rev. Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, Rev. Fr Rocky D’Cunha, Rev. Fr Paul Pinto and other priests.
The parish priest, Rev. Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, participated in the celebration and expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the annual feast. Rev. Fr Joseph Coelho was also present.
Church Vice-President Elias Fernandes, Secretary Roshan Monteiro, Spiritual Coordinator William Lobo, Choir President Lizzy Fernandes and other parish representatives attended the occasion.
The main feast sponsors — Melvin D’Souza, Reema D’Souza, Olivia D’Souza and Melroy D’Souza — were honoured during the celebration. Various stalls were also organised by the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) groups as part of the festivities.