Feast of St John the Baptist at Pilerne
The feast of St John the Baptist, patron saint of Pilerne, will be celebrated on June 24. The Novena began on June 15 with Masses being celebrated at 5.30 pm. The preachers during the Novena were Fr Bolmax Pereira (Convenor of Diocesan Commission for Ecology), Fr Michael Pereira (Member, of Diocesan Commission for Migrants), Fr Leenoy Dias (Secretary for Confraternities and Fabricas), Fr Blaise Lobo (Director, Diocesan Youth Centre), Fr Xavier Estibeiro (Director, Vocation Commission for the Diocesan Clergy), Fr Afonso Mendonca (Director, Diocesan Centre for Liturgy), Fr Barry Cardozo (Director, Diocesan Centre for Social Communication Media) and Fr Marcelin Rodrigues (Director, Diocesan Catechetical Centre). The preachers, most of them directors of the various diocesan Centres and commissions, preached on the pastoral theme of the Year, “You also should do as I have done to You”, linking it with the Apostolates of the various centres in the Archdiocese.
The Vespers will be celebrated on June 23 at 6 pm. On the Feast Day, Mass will be celebrated at 6.30 am, 8 am and the concelebrated Feast Mass at 9.30 am. Fr Thomas Lobo, a son of Pilerne village and Parish Priest of Aldona, will be the main celebrant for the Feast Mass.
He will bring the curtain down on the 365 year celebrations of the Pilerne Church. On the occasion, the priests and nuns from the village will be felicitated. The former Parish Priest of Pilerne, Fr. Cleto Pereira, shall bless and inaugrate the Renovated existing extention of the Parochial House.
On June 25, the Parish Youth of Pilerne (PYP) will be organising an event called \’Plash 0.5’. The theme for the event is ‘Rainwater’ The programme will begin with the fishing competition at 3 pm. Water games such as volleyball, hatching the egg, and many more will follow in the church compound. The guests are expected to be present with costumes related to the feast. There will also be many spot prizes. A live village band will be in attendance to entertain the crowd.