Media Release
Photos : Stanly Bantwal
Feb 15 : Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the Bishop Emeritus of Mangalore celebrated the feast of the Relic of St Anthony at the Milagres Church grounds accompanied by tens of concelebrant priests on 15th February 2021. The Bishop in his message said that St Anthony is a great gift God has given to the Holy Church. If we live the values of St Anthony that is the true honour we give to St Anthony, he said.
Fr Roquin Pinto the professor at St Joseph Inter-diocesan Seminary Jeppu preached a homily on the virtues of St Anthony. In his sermon he pointed out that St Anthony made use of his tongue to preach the word of God and speak well of fellow human beings. God in return has preserved his tongue without decay. It’s eight centuries now since St Anthony died to this world but his tongue has remained incorrupt. There is a message in this miracle. The message is if we use our tongue to praise God and to bring joy to people through our encouraging words, God is going to bless us in abundance. Fr Roquin called on the congregation to make use of the faculty of speech God has given in the right way.
At the end of the festive mass, Fr Clifford Fernandes the Parish Priest of St Joseph Seminary Jeppu prayed for the Covid affected world. Because of Covid 19 thousands have died around the world, thousands have fallen sick and millions have become jobless. The economy of the world has crashed. Keeping this situation in mind, Fr Clifford asked St Anthony to intercede to God for the world while the congregation prayed with lighted candles.
Fr Onil D’Souza the Director of the Ashram thanked all those who toiled to organize the feast and make it successful.
