Stanly Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mysuru
Mysuru, Jun 13: The annual feast of St Antony Church, Dornahalli in the district was celebrated with great devotion on Thursday, June 13.
The pontifical festive Mass was presided over by Fr K A William, bishop of Mysuru. In his homily, the bishop congratulated the devotees for showing their faith and gave a call to reconcile with God and others and to live a new life. “By doing this, one can become a saint and this should be our goal,” he said.
The Bishop further stressed, “People should take saints as their role models. St Mother Teresa, who lived amongst us, lived to make a difference in the society. We should keep faith in God and try to bring a change in society we live. It is not the saints who perform the miracles but through the Saint, the God works wonders. So we must pray to God through saints and when we receive favors we must thank God.”
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Fr Anthony Peter, rector, Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health, Harihar, inaugurated the novena and hoisted the flag.
Dr Bernard Prakash Barnis, Fr J Sandyago, Fr E Anthonyraj, Fr Partrick Johanas, Dr Thomas A Vazhapilly, Emeritus Bishop of Mysuru diocese, Dr Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bengaluru and Dr T Anthony Swamy, bishop of Chikkamagaluru, were the co-celebrants of the novena mass.
Dr K A William, Bishop of Mysuru, Dr M Vincent and Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhy, Bishop of Belthangadi were main celebrants of the feast mass.
Fr Vijay Johanas, Fr A Wilfred, nuns of different congregations, brothers of congregation, priests from the diocese of Mysuru and other dioceses were present.
Fr Dr Arogya Swamy, the rector of the shrine thanked everyone who made the celebration a memorable one.
During the day from 5 am till evening, there were Eucharistic celebrations. At the end of the day there was car procession and benediction.
A brief history of the Shrine of Dornahalli
Dornahalli is a small village located about 33 kms from Mysuru City railway station on Arsikere route and 38 km on Mysuru-Hassan route. This is supposed to be the most ancient place of pilgrimage in India.
The miraculous statue of St Antony of Padua has an authentic history, covering a period of 200 years. A humble Hindu peasant, while ploughing his ragi field, came across a wooden statue and by thinking that it is a doll he gave it to his children to play.
The tradition says that the peasant had a dream and told him that the object is not mere a doll as he thought, but a statue of a revered worker and that he would like to have a special shrine in his honour in the place where it was discovered by the peasant and that he and his family would be blessed.
But the farmer turned a deaf ear to this admonition and his children continued to play with the doll. In course of time, he lost his bullocks and deaths took place. The farmer later realized his mistake, met a priest and he discovered that it the statue of St Antony of Padua, which is about 13 and half inches high and without hands and urged the farmer to do as per the instructions received and thereafter he received blessings and prosper.
People all over India flock and receive favours through the intercession of St Antony of Dornahalli.