St. Mother Teresa Ward Celebrates Annual Feast with Joy and Devotion

News and photos by : Mrs Ivy Serrao

On Sunday, September 1, 2024, the members of St. Mother Teresa Ward gathered to celebrate their annual ward feast, beginning with a Holy Eucharistic Mass at 7:30 a.m. The holy Eucharistic Mass was celebrated by the parish priest Rev. Fr. Onil D’Souza. St Mother Teresa ward members beautifully conducted mass liturgy setting a reverent tone for the day’s festivities.

The main celebration took place at the residence of Ward Gurkarn Mrs. Celine Pinto at 12 noon. The event kicked off with lively entertainment, featuring songs and dances by the children and elders of the ward. The guests were further engaged with tongue-twisting games and lucky games by Mr Royston and Ms Melba ,creating an atmosphere filled with joy and laughter.

The spiritual segment of the celebration commenced with the honoring of the Bible by Rev. Fr. Onil D’Souza and Gurkarn Mrs. Celine Pinto, who presented flowers as a sign of reverence. A prayer dance in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary was performed by the youth, followed by a prayer session led by Mrs. Mabel Rodrigues with support from other ward members. Mrs. Teresa Cardoza, Small Christian Community (SCC) Convener, provided a reflection on the Word of God, deepening the spiritual ambiance of the gathering.

The stage program began with a warm welcome from the Gurkarn, Mrs Celine Pinto . Mrs Ivy serrao presented bouquets of flowers to the esteemed Chief Guests, including Rev. Fr. Onil D’Souza, Vice President of the church Mr. Vincent D’Souza, Secretary Norbert Martis, Ayog Convenor Mrs. Celine D’Souza, SCC Convenor Mrs. Teresa Cardoza, and Sisters Sr. Sunitha and Sr. Renita. A special non-Catholic guest, Mr. Shridhar Acharya, was also recognized for his significant contributions to ward activities.

The ward's Secretary, Mrs. Reshma Pinto, presented the annual report for 2023-2024, highlighting the various activities and services rendered by the ward members to both the church and the wider community. Following the report, Rev. Fr. Onil D’Souza inaugurated a charity box dedicated to collecting donations for St. Mother Teresa's charity home in Mangalore. In his presidential speech, he praised the ward members for their charity work and active participation in church activities, emphasizing their impact despite being small in number.

A major highlight of the event was the felicitation of Mr. Sandesh PG, a ward member, for his outstanding contributions to the police department. Mr. Sandesh was recently awarded a gold medal by the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The Chief Guests honored him with a shawl, memento, garland, fruit basket, and flowers.

The event continued with a comedy skit performed by the ward members, bringing laughter and joy to the gathering. Rev. Fr. Onil D’Souza later distributed prizes to the winners of the games, adding to the celebratory spirit. The event was skillfully hosted by Mrs. Roshni Raina D’Souza, while Sr. Renita from Morning Star Convent recited grace before meals. The celebration concluded with a sumptuous meal, bringing a fitting end to a day filled with faith, fellowship, and festivity.