While the end of the month of June closes half a year for which let us all be grateful to God Almighty for His benevolence, mercy and blessings, the beginning of July ushers in the other half prompting us to surrender ourselves to Him because “…..without Him we can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Due to the commencement of the rainy season, there is fresh air, cooler days and greener landscape and so there is joy among those who experienced the summer’s heat, there is expectation among the farmers and agriculturalists as they should be busy with the work of cultivation and plantation so that our daily bread is assured and our families who live mostly in villages are able to reap the fruits of their labour with joy in their hearts and smile on their faces. May God bless all of them and reward them adequately for their noble and indispensable labour.
The Diocese of Udupi which was erected on 16 July 2012 by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will complete seven years on 16 of this month so I invite all of you to pray for all of us – the People of God in this Diocese: the clergy, religious and laity so that we are able to fulfill the vision, mission and objectives of our Pastoral Plan, Mission 2025 with zeal, seriousness and conviction in order to build One Diocese, one Community. We are grateful to God for the six months of this year 2019 that have gone by; we remain ever thankful to Him for His bounty and to all men and women of goodwill for their prayers, support, cooperation and collaboration throughout these seven years in the life of this infant diocese. Let us all look forward to the days and years ahead of us to do God’s will always in order to be worthy instruments of His mission of proclamation and ministry of evangelization. Please remember me also in your precious prayers so that the shepherding ministry entrusted to me by the Providence of God may be discharged by me in faithfulness and vigilance to His greater glory.
XGerald Isaac Lobo
Bishop of Udupi