Media Release
Mumbai, Sep 10: St Joseph’s Konkani Welfare Association Mira Road celebrated Monti Fest on Monday September 8 beginning with feast Mass in the St Joseph Church by Fr Doctor Wilfred Rodrigues OCD, parish priest Fr Lawrence D'Cunha and Fr Pawan Saldanha.
After the feast mass, auxiliary bishop of Delhi diocese Deepak Tauro, blessed the new Paddy Corn and the parish children offered the flowers to Infant Virgin Mary. Parishioners joined the procession, carrying Mother Mary statue around Mira Road vicinity. After every Mass’s 'vorn' and ‘blessed new Corn’ was distributed to the people.
On the same evening members of St Joseph’s Konkani Welfare Association, arranged a Konkani entertainment programme to the parish Konkani crowd. Programme was opened through a prayer dance by little girl Sienna D'Souza.
On the stage, Fr Doctor Wilfred Rodrigues OCD as chief guest, parish priest Fr Lawrence D'Cunha, and superior Fr Regan D'Souza and guests and donors Antony Periera and Anil D’Souza, along with association president Priya Noronha, secretary Macklin Fernandes, treasurer Elias Mathias and cultural secretary Terrance Periera were present.
A minute Silence was observed in remembrance of all departed Konkani workers, activits, writers, poets, stage performers and Konkani lovers last year and a heartfelt condolence observed to Vishva Kala Ratn, great artist, Musician and Konkani activist Eric Ozario who passed away last month.
Parish priest Fr Lawrence on his address said, “Konkani is our identity our mother language, try and speak at home to preserve it”. Chief guest Fr Wilfred said, " I am happy to see a large crowd cheering and watching here patiently the Konkani programme which shows your love for Konkani which is our mother tongue. Speak Konkani with your children at home to inculcate in them the Love for our mother tongue."
Sisters of Holy Cross, Sisters of Ankur House and Sisters of Sneha Sagar were felicitated for their charity work and social work. The winners of Konkani talent competition which was held recently and merit holders in academics and sports were felicitated on the occasion. Also the donors and well-wishers who contributed to the good cause of Association through the years were felicitated too. There were dance, songs, comedy skits and an award winning (All India Amateur Drama Competition 2024, by Konkani Bhasha Mandal Maharashtra) skit 'PISO' written and directed by ‘Prasann Niddodi’, was enacted by members and their children.
After the programme the 'novem' was blessed by Fr Wilfred and distributed to the gathering. Konkani Lover and committee member Hilda Serrao offered ‘Panpod Udak’ and invited the gathering to Novem Jevann.
Auction was conducted by Henry Sequira and Arun Noronha which fetched more than a lac of rupees which is to be used for the good cause of association. The highlight of auction was an ‘egg’ fetched Rs 12,500.
The grand Vegetarian Meal (Novem Jevann) was arranged in the traditional style on banana leaves for a crowd of around 500 people on the church Terrace. After the meal members recited ‘Laudate' to conclude the day’s programme.
The entertainment programme was beautifully compered by our youth Hayden D’Sa and Alria Noronha and the stage programme was compered in style by Jossy Gonsalves.