Media Release

Bantwal, Oct 19: Our Lady of Vailankanni Church, Farla, was blessed with the gracious presence of His Lordship Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of Mangalore, during his two-day Pastoral Visit held on October 17th and 18th. The visit was marked by prayer, spiritual renewal, meaningful interactions and the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

October 17 – Day one: Sacrament of Confirmation

The first day began with a warm and solemn welcome to the bishop at the church entrance. He was received by the parish priest, Fr Mark Arun D’Souza, accompanied by the bishop’s secretary, Fr Ivan Ashwin D’Souza, Fr Manohar Josly Noronha, PPC vice president Steevan Castelino, PPC secretary Sunitha Baptist, members of the Parish Pastoral Council and the parish community.

The highlight of the day was the solemn Pontifical Holy Eucharist, during which His Lordship conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation upon the candidates of the parish. In his inspiring homily, the bishop encouraged the newly confirmed to embrace their Christian calling with faith and courage, becoming steadfast witnesses of Christ in their daily lives. He reminded them to cherish the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and to remain actively involved in the life of their families and the parish community.

Following the Holy Mass, the bishop held meetings with the Parish Pastoral Council and the finance committee, offering valuable insights and pastoral guidance for the spiritual and administrative growth of the parish.

October 18 – Day two: Pastoral interactions

The second day commenced with the celebration of Sunday Holy Mass by His Lordship, with Fr Mark Arun D’Souza, Fr Ivan Ashwin D’Souza and Fr Arun Lasrado concelebrating.

The bishop then engaged in pastoral meetings with the Catechism teachers, ICYM youth, YCS members, altar servers and representatives of the various Sodality Associations. He reviewed the parish report presented by the parish priest, appreciated the faith, dedication and unity of the parishioners of Farla, and shared words of encouragement and guidance for strengthening parish life.

As part of his pastoral outreach, the bishop visited the sick and elderly, blessed families, visited the cemetery and offered prayers for the departed souls. He also visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, entrusting the parish and its faithful to the loving intercession of the Blessed Mother.

The two-day Pastoral visit concluded with a vote of thanks by the parish priest, expressing the parish’s appreciation for the bishop’s presence and spiritual leadership.

Our Lady of Vailankanni Church, Farla, extends its heartfelt gratitude to His Lordship Dr Peter Paul Saldanha for his fatherly presence, gracious blessings and inspiring pastoral guidance. The parish also thanks Almighty God for granting this grace-filled occasion, which strengthened the faith, unity and spiritual commitment of the entire parish community.