Stany Bantwal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 16: The feast of Relic of Saint Anthony was celebrated at Milagres Church on Thursday, February 16.

Fr Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of Mangaluru diocese, in the Eucharistic celebration said, “This is a thanksgiving celebration for the numerous favours received through the powerful intercession of St Anthony. The large gathering present here for the feast is a witness to the unfailing help of the Wonder Worker St Anthony.”

Fr Maxim Noronha, parish priest of Infant Jesus Church Bantwal-Modankap preached the homily. In his homily he spoke on the usefulness of tongue in human life. “The tongue can encourage others, revive somebody’s hopes. And also if not used properly, it can malign somebody’s name and destroy others’ life,” he said. He called on the people present to make use of the tongue to praise God and speak well of others. “When we do this, we celebrate a meaningful feast in honour of St Anthony’s Relic (Saint Anthony’s tongue),” he said.

Earlier at 4.30 pm, a Holy Mass was celebrated at Milagres Church in Malayalam by Fr Dr Varghese Chakkalakal, bishop of Calicut. A Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr Dr Pius D’Souza, Episcopal vicar for religious at 8.15 am at Milagres Church for the sick and elderly. At 11 am, a Holy Mass was celebrated by Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu, vicar general of the diocese for the inmates and special invitees at the Ashram Jeppu.

As many as 35 priests and more than 4,000 devotees participated in the celebration.