Report: Clarence Pinto
Pics: Arun Jivraj Lobo
Daijiworld Media Network - Muscat
Muscat, Sep 12: The Konkani community of Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi along with Mangalorean Catholic Center of the Parish (MCCP – Sts Peter and Paul Church) organized a felicitation ceremony to the visiting bishop Peter Machado of Belgaum on Friday September 10 at 10.30 am in the main parish hall of Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Clarence Pinto. Bishop Peter Machado, Fr Canute Barboza, visiting parish priest of Mundkoor parish, Mangalore diocese, Fr Cajetan D'Souza, visiting priest from Belgaum diocese along with Nelson D'Silva, the Mangalorean community representative to the pastoral council of Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi and Monica Dantis, current president of MCCP were invited to take the honourary seats of the function by Lancy Lobo, vice-president, cultural, spiritual and community services committees, Simon D Souza, honourary treasurer and Alexander Sequeira, sports secretary of MCCP respectively.
Fr Canute offered a prayer seeking heavenly blessings on the programme and the audience. Monica Dantis offered official welcome to the bishop and visiting priests and wished everything good in their future endeavours. Floral bouquets were offered to the guests by Alston Moras, Lenita Lobo and Ryan Fernandes.
Clarence Pinto presented the profiles of bishop Peter Machado, Fr Canute Barboza and Fr Cajetan D’Souza. Nelson D'Silva presented a brief on the activities of Mangalorean Catholic Center of the Parish to the visiting dignitaries.
Mementos were presented to bishop Peter Machado, Fr Canute Barboza and Fr Cajetan D'Souza by Jacintha Serrao, internal auditor of MCCP, Reena Lobo, cultural secretary and Nancy Vaz, general secretary of MCCP, respectively.
Denis Mascarenhas, a prominent businessman and community activist was presented with a floral bouquet by Vincent Machado, well known Mangalorean of Muscat, for his support to the community.
Bishop Peter Machado in his speech expressed tremendous joy in having the opportunity of participating in the Nativity Feast celebrations in the Sultanate of Oman and gratitude for the hospitality extended to him by the Konkani community.
Lancy Lobo proposed the vote of thanks and with final blessings by the bishop the programme concluded.