The Feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni was celebrated with devotion and fervor at Stella Maris Church, Kalmady on Tuesday, 15th August, 2018.
The Solemn festive mass after nine days of novena was held with main celebrant Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udupi along with V. Rev. Fr Chetan Lobo, PRO of Udupi Diocese; Rev. Fr Alban D’Souza, Parish Priest of Stella Maris Church and 18 priests from the deanery and outside.
Bishop Lobo in his homily said, “Today we celebrate three feasts here. First are Assumption of Mother Mary, Feast of the shrine and Indian Independence Day. But the message from these feasts is one, and that is Freedom.”
“After our death our body will decompose and soul will rise to heaven. But, for Jesus Christ his body did not become dust, but he rose from the tomb. Similarly, Heavenly Father raised Mother Mary to heaven. Fear of God is the biggest gift Mother Mary had in addition to other gifts,”
“She is real ray of hope for us. If we follow the holy life of helping others, then we will also find salvation. Death is not the end. There is eternal life after it.”
“Today we celebrate Indian Independence. If everyone in the nation enjoys the freedom of religion finance, language and culture, then it is the real freedom. And this might be the same dream of all those freedom fighters who fought for the independence of the nation,”
After the mass, the Rev. Fr Alban D’Souza thanked all the devotees who supported the festivities.
