Report and Pics by Praveen Lobo Omzoor
Daijiworld Media Network – Israel (RD)
Tel Aviv / Israel, Sep 14: The Konkani Catholic Sanghatan (KCS) and Indian Committee Israel, came together to celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Monti Fest), in a very grand manner at 5.00 pm on Saturday September 12, at St Anthony’s Church, Yaffo, Tel-Aviv.
Karkala – Nakre The Immaculate Heart parish priest Fr Maichael, Capuchin priests Fr Arok from Ponda, Goa and Fr Praveen from Bangalore, Yaffo parish priest Fr Taufiq, were the celebrants of the festal Holy Mass.
Fr Michael, in his homily on the occasion, gave a very thought-provoking message about the love of the mother towards her children, even at times, sacrificing her own security and comfort. He also spoke about the responsibility of the people towards their own elders.
The liturgy of the day began with the blessing of the new paddy sheaves (Novem). Then, together with the statue of Our Lady and the blessed new paddy sheaves, the celebrants led the procession to the altar with the traditional Konkani hymn, ‘Sakkad Sangatha Melyan’.
It was a very lovely offertory procession with the people bringing-in to offer fruits, flowers and the host and wine, as a symbol of abundant blessings of mother earth and the fruit of labour of our love.
After the communion, all the priests and the volunteers were thanked by the president of KCS, Praveen Pereira Taccode.
All the priests on the altar were presented with beautiful bouquets of flowers by both the committees.
Fr Taufiq, in his message to the gathering, spoke of his happiness at being with the Indian community and also about the future plan of having a regular weekly Mass in Konkani by Fr Praveen.
Fr Arok wished all a very family-oriented feast and Fr Michael expressed his gratitude to the people who helped him to make this pilgrimage and also wished that the spirit of togetherness and unity would remain as an example of Christian witness.
Fr Praveen expressed his happiness at coming back and God’s providence for the possibility of Konkani Mass in Israel every week, for the first time in Israel. Fr Arturo, principal of the school, expressed his happiness too for being with the Indian community and wished that everyone values the spirit of family and the Indian culture and to be proud to be an Indian.
The choir was conducted by a group from Herzliya.
After the Holy mass, all the gathering shared in the Novem, the sweet, in the spirit of one family. The committees then conducted the lucky draw and the housie-housie for all those gathered. About 1,500 faithful were present at the occasion.
Peter D’Souza compered the programme. The two committees had worked hard behind the scene and thus showed their enthusiasm and spirit of oneness. At the end of the day, it was a very spiritual and joyful gathering.