Grand Finale Platinum Jubilee - Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebrations - 27 April 2014

On 27^thApril, the 2^nd Sunday of Easter which is also the Divine Mercy Sunday, the Parishioners gathered at the church grounds at 5 PM for the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Most Holy Redeemer Church, Derebail. The celebration began with the Eucharistic Mass with the Main Celebrant and President, Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’souza, Bishop of Mangalore.

The Mass began with the introduction that today is the day when the Parish community comes together as one family to praise and thank our Lord for blessing us and protecting us every single day throughout the last 75 years. During the past years, our priests, religious and elders have made many a sacrifice to give us the gift of faith and we need to especially pray for them. It is also a day to praise the Lord for showering us with his graces to keep our faith intact and alive. On this occasion, let us pray that God may continue to shower his abundant blessings on our Parish Priest, Assistant Parish Priest, the entire Parish community, Parishioners who are abroad and our Donors.

Rev. Msgr Joel Pais, a Parishioner and presently the Vicar General of Baroda Diocese in his homily said that it was indeed a proud moment for him to be present today as it was in this Parish that he grew up and received all the 5 sacraments. It was in this Parish that the seeds of faith were sown and they were instrumental for him to become a priest. He recalled the relentless efforts of late Sylvester Rego because of whom Derebail Parish saw the light of the day. Just like in today’s first reading from the Acts 2: 42-47 where the apostles held the brethren together by partaking food with glad and generous hearts and Praising God, so also he called the gathering to continue the bond of fellowship among one another and strengthen the faith in Christ Jesus. He invited the Parishioners to actively participate and take leadership roles and thus get empowered to make the Parish community vibrant and strong.

More than 40 priests concelebrated in the Eucharistic celebration. It was indeed an auspicious occasion for the Parishioners of Derebail to celebrate the Jubilee on a holy day when Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were declared as Saints by Pope Francis at a ceremony during Mass in Rome’s St Peter’s Square this morning.