The Feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni at Stella Maris Church, Kalmady near was celebrated with devotion and fervor on Saturday, 15 August, 2015. The Solemn festive mass after nine days of novena services held with main celebrant Most Rev Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udupi along with Very Rev Fr. Valerian Mendonca, Chancellor, Very Rev Fr. Fredrick Mascarenhas Dean of Udupi and 20 priests.
During in his homily Bishop said that in 1950 Pope XII defined the dogma of the Assumption of Mother Mary. Thus the Pope Solemnly proclaimed that the belief whereby the Blessed Virgin Mary at the close of her earthly life, was taken up, body and soul, into the glory of heaven, definitively forms part of the deposit of Faith.
After the end of the mass the parish Priest Rev Fr. Alban D’Souza thanked the devotees who supported the celebration of the feast. A CD in connected with the Our Lady of Vailankanni was released by the Bishop which was prepared by Rev Fr. Valerian Mendonca and Rev Fr. Clement Mascarenhas.
After the mass brief stage programme held and Vinay Kumar Sorake, Minister of Urban Development and Minister in charge, Pramod Madwaraj local MLA were present. Vinay Kumar released the church magazine “Darya Sukr” on the occasion. He promised to help the church through the government from the Minority Aid Fund.
Pramod Madwaraj released the Book “Jivit” under the patronage of the commission of Family Welfare headed by Leslie Aroza.
Bishop also gave away his message and blessed the meal. According to parish priest, more than eight thousand devotees participated in the celebration of the Feast.
