Deacon Canute Noronha of St John The Evangelist Church Shankarapura was ordained as priest under the leadership of Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo here on 20 April, 2016.
The deacon was ordained during the Eucharistic Mass offered by the Bishop, who was the main celebrant. The ordination ceremony was held in the presence of the near and dear ones of the newly-ordained priest along with the presence of hundreds of devotees. More than 40 priests were present on the occasion.
Deacon Canute Noronha is the son of Mr & Mrs Cashmir and Agnes Noronha. The bishop in his homily pointed out the status and responsibilities of a priest in the church. He said that a priest is the one chosen by God from among the people to serve them and lead them to Christ. He also highlighted the significance and challenges of the priestly ministry in the present world.
Later, the newly ordained priest concelebrated the Holy Eucharist with the bishop. Fr Stephen D’Souza, Diocesan Biblical and Catechetical Centre animated the Liturgy.
Solemn church rituals were followed by a grand felicitation function. Students from Shankarapura Church School performed the welcome dance. Inaugurated the programme by cutting the cake.
Bishop Address the gathering and congratulate to Fr Canute behalf of the diocese, Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo felicitated the new priest and his Parents on the Vocation of 35th Anniversary of married life. The bishop greeted the new priest and thanked his parents for being generous to give their son to the diocese to serve as priest. He made an appeal to the people to promote vocations in their families.
Fr Gerald D’Souza, Fr Joseph Martis and Vincent Coelho also congratulated the new priest.
In his Thanksgiving speech, Fr Canute recalled the role of his parents in supporting him in his vocation. He recalled the help and support rendered to him right from his childhood till the day of his ordination and thanked his family members, relatives, teachers in school and professors in the college, teachers in seminary, friends, well-wishers and all those who had helped in organizing the ordination ceremony in the church and making the felicitation function a grand success.
Most Rev. Dr Gerald Lobo, Msgr. Baptist Menezes, Fr Canute Noronha, Mrs Cashmir and Agnes Noronha, Rev. Fr Joseph Martis Rector of the Seminary, Fr Gerald D’Souza, Fr Vincent Coelho, Fr Vishal Lobo and others were present on the dais. Br Clany D'Souza compered the programme.
