Moodubelle Parish Celebrates Titular Feast of St. Lawrence with Devotion and Fervour

The titular feast of St. Lawrence was celebrated with great devotion and fervour at St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle, on Monday, August 10, at 10 a.m. Favourable weather added to the convenience of the devotees, who gathered in large numbers for the solemn celebration. Parishioners, dressed in their finest attire, filled every available seat inside and outside the church, reflecting their deep faith and devotion to St. Lawrence.
Before the solemn Eucharistic celebration, Parish Priest Rev. Fr. George D’Souza distributed the Candles of Honour to mud-dhoms. Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) Secretary Mrs. Lavina Jyothi D’Souza announced the names of the donors and well-wishers who had contributed towards the feast celebrations.
The solemn feast Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr. Rickson Monteiro, the immediate past Assistant Parish Priest of Moodubelle and presently Assistant Parish Priest of Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, as the chief celebrant. He was joined by Rev. Fr. Denis D’Sa, Parish Priest of Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi, and Dean of Udupi Deanery; Rev. Fr. Charles Menezes, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva, and Dean of Shirva Deanery; Rev. Fr. George D’Souza, Parish Priest of Moodubelle; Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues, Assistant Parish Priest of Moodubelle; Deacon Shawn Andrade; and other guest priests.
The procession to the main altar was led by PPC Vice-President Pritish D’Sa, followed by altar servers and the concelebrating priests.
In his homily, Rev. Fr. Rickson Monteiro reflected on the central message of the day’s Scripture readings: the Christian call to show kindness, compassion and generosity towards the poor, needy and marginalised. He urged the faithful to share their blessings with those who are hungry, struggling and less fortunate.
Referring to the life of St. Lawrence, Fr. Rickson recalled how the saint dedicated himself to serving the poor and needy of Rome. St. Lawrence, a third-century Christian deacon in Rome, served under Pope Sixtus II and was entrusted with the administration of the Church’s material goods and care for the poor. When the Roman Emperor Valerian ordered the Church’s treasures to be handed over, Lawrence gathered the poor and needy whom the Church served and presented them as its true treasure.
His courageous witness angered the authorities, and Lawrence was subsequently arrested and martyred in Rome in 258 AD. He remained steadfast in his faith and chose fidelity to Christ over obedience to worldly power. His life is therefore remembered as a powerful testimony of faith, charity, courage and selfless service to the poor. He is honored by the Church as a martyr and is the patron saint of deacons, among others.
Fr. Rickson reminded the faithful that the true spirit of St. Lawrence lies not merely in celebrating his feast but in following his example by reaching out to those in need and making generosity and service an integral part of Christian life.
Rev. Fr. George D’Souza conveyed his heartfelt greetings to the parishioners on the occasion of the titular feast and expressed his gratitude to all those who had supported, contributed to and worked tirelessly for the successful celebration of the feast.
At the conclusion of the solemn Eucharistic celebration, Rev. Fr. Denis D’Sa distributed decorated Candles of Honor to the sponsors of the titular feast. In his message, he extended his greetings to the parish community and appreciated the overwhelming participation of the faithful in the feast celebration.
The celebration concluded with a renewed commitment among the faithful to follow the example of St. Lawrence by living their faith through compassion, generosity and service to the poor and the needy.
About St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence was a Christian deacon who served in Rome during the third century under Pope Sixtus II. He was entrusted with the administration of the Church’s resources and, above all, with caring for the poor, widows, orphans and those in need.
During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Valerian, Pope Sixtus II and several deacons were arrested and martyred in 258 AD. Lawrence was subsequently ordered by the authorities to hand over the treasures of the Church. Instead, he gathered the poor and needy whom he had served and presented them as the true treasures of the Church.
For his courageous faith and refusal to abandon Christ, Lawrence was condemned to death. He remained steadfast until the end and was martyred in Rome on 10 August 258 AD. The Church honors him as a martyr and patron of deacons, remembering especially his charity, courage, faith and devoted service to the poor.