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Udupi : The Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Milagres Cathedral Building at Kallianpur near here celebrated with Solemnity, gaiety, fervor and devotion on Monday, 12^th December, 2016.

Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udup Diocese blessed the renovated façade of Milagres Cathedral as well as the huge Statue of Our Lady of Miracles on the occasion. During the blessing ceremony of Church façade Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo Rector of Cathedral, Rev Fr. Prakash Anil Castelino and Rev Fr. Rolin Aranha, Walter Cyril Pinto Vice President and Prof Hilda Rodrigues Secretary of Parish Pastoral Council and parishioners were present.

Prior to the celebration of the Eucharistic mass, the bishop handed over the candles to all the sponsors of projects on the occasion of Platinum Jubilee of the church building.

The Solemn High mass concelebrated by the Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo along with diocesan and parishioner priests with large numbers.

In his homily Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo highlighted the importance of the word Jubilee from the Old Testament. Today we must thank Milar Mai, our patroness for all her blessings even though several obstacles since 338 years of church existence.

 The Bishop on the Jubilee celebrations said that we defined with five Kannada words – Smarana, Santhapa, Sadhana and Sabhrama. He said Smarana, remembrance of event which occurred in the past. Our forefathers build the church with devoted faith with the God and Our Milar Mai and returned to God with reconciliation and fellow beings according to the will of God Almightty. The jubilee year is the gift of God. The parishioners should remember the sacrifices done by our ancestors for the prosperity to the community. We should need to build and bring up the church with love, care for others and the environment along with light for the needy. Then only the celebrations of Jubilee become successful.

At the end of the mass, Rector of the Cathedral Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo gave gratitude to all parishioners and others for the support for the development of the church. He thanked the Bishop, priests and others for their support.

After the grand celebrations of the mass, the stage programme held in Milagres Tri Centenary Hall. The program began with the prayer dance by students of Milagres English Medium School.

 Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo presided over the stage programme. Oscar Fernandes Rajya Sabha member and former Union Cabinet, Blossom Fernandes, J. R. Lobo Mangaluru South MLA, Ivan D’Souza MLC and Chief whip of Vidhana Parishet, Dinakar Baby President of Udupi Zilla Panchayat, Janardhan Thonse and Wilson Rodrigues Zilla Panchayat members, Nalini Pradeep Rao Taluk Panchayat President, Pushpa Kotian President of Kallianpur Gama Panchayat, M. A. Gaffoor, Chairman of Minority Development Commission, Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo Rector, Walter Cyril Pinto President and Prof Hilda Rodrigues Secretary of Parish Pastoral Council were present on the dais.

Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo welcomed the gatherings. J. R. Lobo in his address said that during Tippu Sultan’s rulings we Christians faced severe problems. During that time our ancestors maintained their devotion to Christ and continued their faith with unity among our community. If there are no devotees in the huge buildings of the church, there is no sense to show our devotion to God. In our community along with the faith unity among us needed.

Ivan D’Souza after releasing the Jubilee souvenir, in his address saod that everywhere in public Christian programmes people used to say that the service of the Christians in the field of Education and health commendable. He appreciated the role of Milagreans in the field of education since several decades. Indeed Christian communities always rendered selfless service to the nation in the field of education and social development of the country. The priests, nuns and religious people have built the society not only for Christians but all the people of the country.

During the occasion Edward D’Souza Contractor,  C. J. Lobo, Architect, Raymond Crasta, Gregory D’Souza and Ashwath were felicitated. Meanwhile Patrick D’Souza, Melwyn Sequiera and other sponsors of the Jubilee celebrations projects  also felicitated during the occasion. The church renovation with paintings, renovation of the hall, new façade construction and constructing houses for the poor parishioners were the projects on the occasion of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Nalini Pradeep Rao and Wilson Rodrigues gave their message during the occasion. In his presidential address Bishop conveyed his wishes to parishioners and others on the celebration of Platinum Jubilee of church building. Considering history of the Milagres Church, Pope at Rome considered the Cathedral of the newly formed Udupi Diocese. Indeed it is the main church of the diocese. The Diocese Cathedral is the foremost first church than the Minor Basilica of Attur. I must thankful to the parishioners in regard to the church façade renovation. Our Lady of Miracles is the patron of the diocese, We need to constructing the stations of the Way of the Cross in the Cathedral campus would be the next project.

He said we need to build the people of community instead of constructing the buildings. In fact we are done with all the outward celebrations but we have to begin the work on the needy people in the diocese. We have to support the needy one to facelift their life.

Bishop felicitated Rector of Cathedral Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo for his contribution for the development of the Cathedral and successful jubilee celebrations.

Walter Cyril Pinto proposed vote of thanks. Joyce Pinto and Dr. Nisha Rebello compered the stage programme. Lunch was served to all the participants parishioners and others after the stage programme. In the evening comedy Konkani Play was held at Milagres Tri Centenary Hall on the occasion of the celebrations of Platinum Jubilee of church building.