Feast of Nativity of Our Lady and Mothers’ Day clubbed with Teacher’s Day celebration at the Bom Jesus Church Nachinola
The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady on September 8 is a great cause for joy and thanksgiving in the Catholic Church, for it celebrates the birth of the one who is the prototype of a human person in her original and ultimate status as a child of God, a perfect image and likeness of God, as God wants us to be.
The feast reminds us that man indeed is meant to be like God, a tremendous and incredible truth of our faith to which we should try our best to conform ourselves with our relentless efforts and God’s grace. We should just learn to overcome whatever disbelief and awkwardness we may have to accept this truth of our faith.
The novenas for the preparation for the feast of Nativity of Our Lady commenced on 30th August 2022 in the Bom Jesus Church Nachinola. The first 3 novenas were distributed to the wards and remaining were organized by the Catechism Children. Before every novena there was rosary and people came in procession to put flowers for Mother Mary. The Parish Priest Fr. Francisco Xavier Fernandes arranged different priests to celebrate the Eucharist during the novenas, they reflected on the various virtues of Mother Mary based on the booklet “Mhojea Pattlean Ieiat…”, brought by the Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat. The feast mass on the 8th Sept 2022 was celebrated by the Parish Priest Fr. Francisco Xavier Fernandes and concelebrated by Fr. Domnic D’cruz. After the rosary children were asked to come forward and shower flowers on the statue of ‘Maria Babina’ (Baby Mary), which was carried in procession by the parish priest along with the angels and all the children, which was introduced for the first time by the Parish Priest. People as usual came in procession and placed flowers at the feet of Mother Mary.
After the feast Mass, children were asked to gather together and a packet of sweets was distributed to them. Mothers and teachers gathered separately and they were served with a hot cup of tea, snacks and cake, and all the parishioners were served tea and cake. After everyone was satisfied and refreshed a small cultural program was organised by the catechetical association along with the catechism children, and Altar servers in the SCAN Club. The children along with parents and teachers participated in the program. All mothers along with the teachers; as Mothers are “ our first teachers,” were invited on the stage to cut the cake and a few selected mothers one from each ward cut and all shared the cake.
The Parish Priest in his addressed appreciated everyone’s efforts and was very much satisfied with the arrangements and how the children showcased their talents. He said that Mothers’ Day is celebrated to honour all mothers and express gratitude for the hardships they bear in bringing up a children. The mothers and teachers in a way to acknowledge their efforts were given a token of appreciation in the form of a rose and a gift. The Parish Priest Fr. Francisco Xavier Fernandes along with Catechists did a great job in training the children to show forth their talents. Everything was well organized, attention was paid to every minute detail. Those gathered loved and appreciated the hard work in organizing the Mothers’ Day.
Loretta Afonso
PPC Secretary
(Bom Jesus Church Nachinola)