Mangaluru: 29 Sep. 2023 became a memorable day in the history of Missionary Society of Infant Jesus as the Fathers and Brothers were privileged to celebrate for the first time their Founder’s Day two years after his death.
Before commencing the celebration of the Solemn Thanksgiving Holy Mass in honour of our Founder’s Day , His Lordship Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, blessed the renovated Missionary Society of Infant Jesus , Mother House, other invited Priests, Sisters faithful took part in the blessing of the renovated Mother House.
Before the Holy Mass could begin Fr Melwin Basil Pinto, MSIJ welcomed wholeheartedly His Lordship Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, all Rev. Fathers, Rev. Sisters, siblings of our Founder , benefactors, faithful gathered for the Founder’s Day Eucharistic celebration.
Thereafter the Holy Mass began. Holy Mass was presided over by His Lordship Most Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, the Bishop of Mangalore. Rev. Fr Victor George D’Souza, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Mangalore, Fr James D’Souza, Vicar Forane of City Deanery, Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza PP Bondel Parish, Fr Bathula Ravi Kumar, MSIJ, Superior General, Fr Ashok Kumar Nalla, MSIJ and other Rev. Fathers concelebrated the Solemn Thanksgiving Holy Mass.
His Lordship in his homily on the auspicious occasion of Founder’s Day made us know that it is God who calls us and blesses us to become blessing in the lives of others in turn, our Founder too was called by God and by his way of life he has inspired many , he is not venerable, servant of God, beatified, or declared as a saint yet we celebrate the person of our Founder what good God did in his life, he has shared it with so many people, and they have experienced blessings from him in their life.
Before the final hymn of Holy Mass, Superior General Rev. Fr Bathula Ravi Kumar, MSIJ proposed the Vote of thanks for everything that has happened on the celebration of Founder’s Day. Revelation Singing group led by Suraj Noronha and Co sang melodiously for the Holy Mass. The gathered people expressed words of appreciation for the very systematically organized function.
The Founder’s day function was ended with a fellowship meal.
