Mangaluru, Aug 11: The annual feast of St Lawrence Church and Shrine, Bondel, concluded on Sunday, August 10, with profound devotion, solemn grandeur, and a spirit of unity among the faithful.

The closing Eucharistic celebration at 6 pm was presided over by bishop emeritus Aloysius Paul D’Souza of the Mangalore Diocese, joined by concelebrants Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza, parish priest; Fr Lawrence Cutinha, assistant parish priest; Fr Peter Gonsalves, principal of St Lawrence English Medium School; Fr J B Saldanha, diocesan PRO; Fr J B Crasta; and several priests from neighbouring parishes and the City Varado.

In his homily, bishop emeritus D’Souza called on the faithful to draw inspiration from St Lawrence’s courage in sacrificing his life for Christ and humanity. He emphasised that, like Abraham, we too must trust in God’s word with unwavering faith and hope, allowing the love of Christ to bear fruit in our lives.

The Bondel parish children’s choir and church choir led the singing, adding a prayerful atmosphere to the liturgy. Parish priest Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza extended gratitude to the bishops, concelebrants, donors, volunteers, shrine committee members, and parishioners for their dedication during the novena and feast.

A symbolic moment came with the lowering of the feast flag, first hoisted on August 1 to mark the novena’s start. The act was carried out by bishop emeritus D’Souza along with parish clergy and priests from the city and neighbouring parishes.

The newly brought statue of St Lawrence was carried in a grand procession and placed at a newly prepared devotional stall for candle-lighting. Bishop emeritus D’Souza, clergy, and the donors of the space, Rocky and Jacintha D’Souza, lit the first candles, blessing the new prayer area.

Earlier in the day, Mangalore bishop Peter Paul Saldanha celebrated Mass, inaugurating a new stall for spiritual articles and the candle-lighting area. In his homily, he described St Lawrence as a priceless treasure of the Catholic Church, whose martyrdom was fuelled by Christ’s love. He urged the faithful to embrace the cross with courage and trust in God’s power to turn suffering into glory.

Donors, including NRI entrepreneur Michael D’Souza, were honoured with bouquets and candles. Michael, who funded the adoration chapel, expressed his devotion to St Lawrence and assured prayers for all.

MLC Ivan D’Souza also visited the shrine, where he was welcomed and felicitated by Fr Andrew. The celebration saw the presence of Ronald Roy Castelino, diocesan PRO; John D’Silva, parish pastoral council vice president; Santhosh Misquith, PPC secretary; Prakash Pinto, shrine committee convener; Meena Barboza, media convener; Rudy Pinto, former shrine convenor; Stany Alvares, president of the Konkani Sahitya Academy; and a large number of parishioners and pilgrims from various faiths.

The feast celebrations, marked by prayer, unity, and vibrant participation, left the faithful renewed in faith, strengthened in hope, and inspired by the life and witness of St Lawrence.