Mangalore, August 7: The year-long centenary celebration of Bejai parish of Mangalore Catholic Diocese, dedicated to St Francis Xavier was kicked off here on Sunday with the Solemn Eucharistic celebration.
Rev Vincent Furtado, Provincial Superior of the Capuchin Fathers, presided over the Holy Eucharist.
Prior to the mass, the Holy Bible was brought in the procession and enthroned by the main celebrant. The main celebrants Fr Vincent Furtado Cap, Dr Victor Machado the parish priest, Fr Anil Roshan Lobo the assistant parish priest, Augustine Rodrigues, Vice-President Parish Pastoral Parishad, Charlotte Patrao the secretary, Sr Mable UFS Superior, St Angela Convent, and Melwyn Mascarenhas, President ICYM launched the centenary year.
After the mass the logo of the centenary year celebration “Amcho Bhavarth Amchi Firgoz, Amcho Sombrom"(Our faith, our parish, our celebration) was unveiled by the parish priest.
As tokens of centenary, a sapling each of mango and jasmine were planted by the parish clergy. The centenary flags were given to all the gurkars as symbols of unity in the parish.
The parish that has 1,250 families on its rolls and around 6,000 Christians and originally was part of Rasario parish had its origin in August 1912. Fr E A C Colaco built the present church of St Francis Xavier in 1928, nearly 16 years after the parish came in to existence.
The parish has had a chequered history and is known for its vibrant lifestyle manifested by variety of talent of the people.
The only disconnect with the past was that the fragrance of jasmine grown previously by the parishioners is no longer there. The parish bulletin Izoicho Kolo (Jasmine of Bejai) however keeps reminding the parishioners about its hoary past, Fr Victor said, adding that notwithstanding this development, the parishioners have spread the fragrance of this parish the world over on the sheer strength of their individual and collective achievements.
As part of the centenary celebration the parish intends to build houses for the poor, provide scholarships for higher education, involve itself in environmental protection measures, renovate the higher primary school, and upgrading the central school.
Former parish priests were felicitated on the occasion.
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