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Karkala : The annual feast of St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Attur here began on Sunday, January 27 with the festive theme, “I am holy, so you also be holy’.

The fourth day on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, the festive Solemn mass concelebrated by Most Rev Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore Diocese along with Most Rev Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udupi diocese and other priests of the undivided Mangalore diocese.

In his beautiful homily, Bishop Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha pointed out that God is holy and how we become holy. Christ does not just save us from our sin, though, He saves us that we might become holy and as St Peter says, just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; Be holy, because I am holy. The reason for one’s entire salvation, the design behind one’s deliverance, the purpose for which God chose you in the first place is holiness. Holiness is associated with separation from the ordinary or the profane, one the one hand, and connection with God or the divine, on the other. Holiness is not only separated from the sin and worldliness but also being set apart for God’s purposes. Sanctification is the lifelong process by which we become holy, he said.

Bishop Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha said that of all the goals we have for our life, the most important is to pursue holiness because it is God’s goal for our life. Jesus came to save us because he created us to be holy. We already loved in Christ. We love because he first loved us and the best way to show that we love God is by seeking to become holy because he is holy.

At the end of the Solemn High Eucharistic celebrations, Rector of the Minor Basilica Rev Fr. George D’Souza gave gratitude to main celebrant of the mass Most Rev Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha and Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo and thanked all concerned for their whole hearted services during the festival celebrations. All developmental works in and around Basilica has going on with tremendous support from the faithful. He also called the devotees of St Lawrence to donate generously for pending projects of the Basilica.

Being a main festive mass on Wednesday, large number of devotees of St Lawrence visited the Shrine. Various stalls of religious articles have been set up in the Basilica premises. Police personal, heath centre, enquiry desk, media centre and Catholic Sabha,  Karkala Deanery Voluntary stall and various stalls have been put outside the Basilica premises. Every now and then announcements made for the conveniences of the devotees of St Lawrence.