Mangaluru: On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Youth Movement of Sacred Heart Church, Surathkal, the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) Surathkal unit organized the Golden Jubilee Rosary March, to honour our Lady of Rosary and to create awareness about drug abuse in Society, on 7 October 2023, from Surathkal Hosabettu beach to Sacred Heart Church Surathkal.
The Chief guests flagged off this Jatha; Nyayavadhi Gangadhar Gurikar, Ex President Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha, Uchchila, Udupi, Ravi N Shriyan, Vice President, D.K Mogaveera Yuva Vedhike, Smt Thulasi Salian, Secretary Mahila Samaja, Hosabettu, Naveen Kachan, Joint Secretary HosabettuMogaveera Sangha along with V. Rev. Fr Austine Peter Peres, the Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Church Surathkal, Russel Roche, Vice President of PPC, Asha Pinto, Secretary of PPC and Golden Jubilee Committee members.
Prior to the Jatha, the statue of our Lady of Rosary was brought by boat from the sea by fishermen representatives including non-Christian brethren and ceremoniously with brass band music handed over to the Parish Priest amidst hundreds of people at the Seashore. The statues were then installed in decorated Vehicles. A special wooden statue of the Lady of Rosary donated by Rolph D’Costa, Proprietor, D Costa Saw Mulki was brought in the procession at the end. This antique statue is of human size, weighing around 100 kg.
Gangadhar in his inaugural address wished well for the Jatha. He quoted the tradition of our Lady of Rosary who landed at Bolar, Mangalore around 450 years back from the sea bringing Blessings to this coastal land. He appreciated the Cause of the Jatha; to build an Addiction-free Society.
Jatha started at 5:50 pm from Surathkal Hosabettu beach, reached the church at 7:00 PM and that was followed by Solemn devotion to the Rosary with lighted candles in the Hand. In the end, all the devotees placed their candles in front of the statue of Our Lady of Rosary and sought her powerful intercession to fight against drug abuse in society.
Each ward of the Parish was given a court of arms of the patron saint which they ceremoniously carried at the procession. The awareness was created among the public about drug abuse through placards, voiceover and music.
The Parish Priest honoured the donors with a shawl and expressed his gratitude to all the people who were responsible for the success of this maiden Jatha.
Around 350 people took part in the Rosary March.Fr Richard D Souza compeered the programme. All the ICYM members of the unit took an active part in the procession. All the associations of the parish were actively involved in the organization of the Jatha. The refreshments were served to all the people at the end.
