November is the eleventh month of the year and is quite significant to us believers as Catholics for many reasons. And these are: first November we celebrate the solemnity of all saints; second November we commemorate all faithful departed (all souls ‘day); 24 November the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the universal King. After this last week of the liturgical year the season of holy advent will begin from 01 December – the first Sunday of Advent. For us all in the diocese of Udupi, 24 November is also significant because on this day we will also celebrate our annual diocesan Eucharistic procession.
The Holy Mother the Church not only firmly believes but also emphatically holds and teaches that as believers, our life is revolved around three churches: ours now is militant, that is: we need to work out our salvation fighting against all odds and evils in order to remain faithful to the Teachings of the Church – universal and local and to proclaim it worthily as per the mind of the same Church in and through which we profess and live, move and have our being. In heaven there is the triumphant church, that is, all those who are in heaven are saints who continually gaze the glorious Christ seated at the right hand of His Father forever and ever; in purgatory there is the suffering church, that is our departed brothers and sisters – the faithful departed who are there in the place of purification awaiting heaven and hence are in need of our prayers, penance and sacrifices so that these souls in purgatory are helped by us to merit heaven which we only can do to help them.
Christ is indeed the King of the Universe. His kingdom is not of this world though but one of serenity and peace, love and justice, unity and generosity, mercy and forgiveness which we all experience here on earth through the reception of various sacraments and by witnessing our Catholic faith and proclaiming it as per His command.
The diocesan Eucharistic procession is not just an annual activity to be done and gone through but is our open and public recognition of the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist whom we worship and adore as one diocese and one community at least once every year. Hence our participation in this procession is quite significant and important to all of us.
May God Almighty bless you all and Udupi diocese and make us all worthy of these events in the month of November 2019.
XGerald Isaac Lobo
Bishop of Udupi