Feast Infant Jesus celebrated at Bikarnakatte Church

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Stanley Bantwal)
January 15, 2012

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Mangalore, January 15: The annual feast of the Infant Jesus was celebrated on Saturday at Carmelite Fathers, Infant Jesus Shrine, Carmel Hill, Bikarnakatte, here, with religious fervor and devotion. Thousands of devotees irrespective of caste, creed and religion thronged the shrine of Infant Jesus and offered prayers to seek his divine intervention.

Though the festive mass was celebrated in the evening, devotees started pouring in the morning itself.

The first Eucharistic celebration of the feast day was offered at 6 a.m in Konkani. Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, the bishop of Mangalore, presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration. The preacher was Fr Praveen Leo of St Joseph's Seminary.


There were at least 15,000 people for the evening mass alone. The preacher was Rev. Fr. Praveen Leo Lasrado (St. Joseph's Seminary). He preached an inspiring sermon on the theme 'Glowing with faith, lamps of Christ.' He spoke of faith as turning to God in sickness and in health, in suffering and happiness, in joy and in sorrow. “Our faith must become 'fresh',” he said, giving examples of how the Biblical figures from Abraham right down to our forefathers became fresh in their faith in God and became ever more committed to Him. He said that we must be Christians not my chance, but by choice. When our faith becomes fresh it glows, and then alone can we become Lamps of Christ. Since the feast was also commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Diocese of Mangalore, representatives from the 15 deaneries were present at the Mass. During the profession of faith, they renewed their baptismal vows holding high a lit candle given to them by the Bishop as a sign of their faith. They were then given a cross, Bible, rosary, scapular and the statue of the Infant Jesus as symbols of the faith.

Leading to the feast was the Novena, with masses being celebrated and special prayers offered for various intentions each of the nine days beginning on January 5th. Devotees of all faiths thronged at the Shrine and received many blessings.

The Diocese of Mangalore this year is celebrating the 125th year of its foundation. In thanksgiving to God for the gift of faith that He has given us and in view of reinvigorating our commitment to Christ, the theme chosen for the Feast was “Glowing with Faith, Lamps of Light”. On each novena day, a theme based on faith was reflected upon, taking as an example and model one of God's Chosen in the Bible, beginning from Abraham: Father of Faith to our Forefathers who professed their faith even during the time of Tippu's persecution. There were also special prayers offered for a special intention.


There were seven masses on each day of the novena, 4 in the morning and 3 in the evening. The evening masses were telecast live on T.V. and the internet. Devotees came in large numbers for all the masses on all days. The largest crowds were present for the 6 pm open-air Konkani mass. Especially on days when there were special prayers conducted for Children (day 3) and for the Sick (day 10) the faithful came in great numbers and placed themselves at the feet of the Infant Jesus, trusting completely in His mercy and generosity. May He look kindly on their faith and grant them their intentions.

In the celebration of this Feast, apart from looking after the spiritual needs of the people, the Carmelite Community (OCD Fathers) took a step in promoting the social cause of caring for the sick by organizing a Blood Donation Camp on January 12th. The response of the people was tremendous. In thanksgiving to Infant Jesus for the gift of life, many came forward to donate their blood that they may help another to live. The Infant Jesus will surely look upon their charity and reward them.

In order to cater to the needs of the faithful on the Feast Day there were seven masses celebrated in the morning. Four of them were in Konkani and one each in English, Kannada and Malayalam. The 10:15 am mass was particularly celebrated for the sick, and there were special prayers for them. At 1:30 pm, an inter-religious prayer service was conducted in Kannada by Fr. Vijay Kumar OCD. The celebrants were Rev. Frs. Nelson OCD, Joy Painandath (St. Joseph's seminary) and Biju (Betharam Fathers), Abraham SVD (Mulki), John Sequeira OCD, Andrew D'Souza (Bondel), Maxim Noronha (Bishop's House) and Vijay Kumar OCD. From the first mass itself, devotees came in large numbers so that there was an average of about 2000 people at every mass. Let us thank God for such a gift of faith to the people staying in Mangalore.


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The history of devotion in Infant Jesus takes us back to the 17th century where the Carmelites in Prague had to stand hostility of the Lutherance. It was then that providence came to their rescue. It was in the year 1628 the Princess of Spain, Polixena, a great benefactor of the Friars, presented her wedding gift-a beautiful statue of the Infant Jesus to the Prior. However, in the year 1631, the Carmelite monastery was plundered and the statue of the Infant Jesus was cast upon a heap of rubble. Strange but true, years later, a Carmelite priest, Fr. Cyril discovered the statue in a heap of trash. He placed it at a respected place and began to pray. He dedicated a room in the Monastery to the Infant Jesus and allowed the faithful to come and worship Jesus. Many faithful were healed. This was the humble beginning of the devotion.

The devotion that began in a small way has spread rapidly throughout the world. The genesis of the devotion to the Infant Jesus at Carmel Hill, Mangalore takes us back to some 50 years. The Belgian Carmelite missionaries, who were in Mangalore, began the novena prayer to the Infant Jesus in the small chapel on Thursday. The present Shrine was inaugurated and blessed on 11th January 2006 to accommodate the increasing number of devotees.

Many devotees regularly visit the Infant Jesus Shrine. Every Thursday thousands of devotees participate in the Eucharistic celebration and novena services held throughout the day. The Shrine fathers are also available for confessions and counseling to cater the spiritual needs of the devotees.

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News Network
March 27,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday launched simultaneous raids in multiple places, including Bengaluru and Shivamogga.

Reports suggested that the ongoing raids are in connection with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1. The blast had injured at least ten people as per the police report.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) had launched an investigation alongside the NIA, and the trail of the suspect led them to Tumakuru first and subsequently to Ballari. Investigators believe that the bomb was planted by Mussavir Hussain Shazib, a handler of the Islamic State’s Shivamogga module who was aided by another IS handler called Ahmed Taahaa.

Sources in the know said that Shazib and Taahaa had stayed in Chennai for about a month between January and February using fake credentials. The names of the suspects were identified after they traced the cap worn by Shazib to a shop in a mall in Chennai. The cap, which was abandoned by the bomber in Bengaluru after the blast, was reportedly bought by Taahaa, around January-end.

As per the NIA, Shazib hails from Masjid Road in Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, and Taahaa from Fish Market Road, Soppu Gude, Thirthahalli Rural. Both "wanted" suspects have been termed "absconders" by the NIA.

The NIA has questioned seven jailed terror suspects so far in connection with the blast. The investigation agency had also obtained seven-day custody of a jailed terror suspect named Maaz Muneer Ahmed.

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News Network
March 26,2024

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Mangaluru: Officials from Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime Police Station in Mangaluru have arrested a man for allegedly engaging in an online fraud by deceiving a person on the pretext of offering a part-time job. The arrested is Saddam Gauri alias Bavuri, 30, from Rajasthan.

City police commissioner Anupam Agrawal said the CEN police received a complaint regarding an online scam related to a part-time job offer.

Police registered a case under sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act, along with IPC Section 420. The complainant had received a link via WhatsApp from an unknown number, purportedly offering a part-time job opportunity.

Upon clicking the link, the complainant was instructed to complete certain tasks to earn money. However, during the process, the complainant incurred a loss of Rs 1.1 lakh.

Following an investigation into the matter, the CEN police successfully arrested the suspect and presented him before the court. In the course of arrest, police seized two mobile phones, eight debit cards, four bank cheque books, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and other relevant documents from the accused.

The arrest was made possible through the efforts of CEN station inspector Shyam Sundar and his team, under the guidance of City Crime Records Bureau (CCRB) ACP Ravish Nayak and DCP Siddharth Goyal.

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News Network
March 25,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 25: Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy on Monday rejoined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Gangavati MLA, who is an accused in an illegal mining case, had formed the 'Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha' (KRPP) ahead of the state assembly polls last year, snapping his two-decade-old association with the BJP.

Reddy today merged his KRPP with the BJP as he, along with wife Aruna Lakshmi and some family members, joined the party in the presence of its veteran leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, state President B Y Vijayendra, and others.

Reddy had recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

However, in the February 27 Rajya Sabha polls he had extended support to the Congress candidate.

Calling it a "home coming", Reddy explained that the move to merge KRPP with the BJP is to "make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister a third time".

"Amit Shah had invited me to Delhi and told me that -- there is no question of extending outside support (KRPP supporting BJP in LS polls) and instead I should join the BJP and work for it, as I took my political birth in the party. Accepting it, I'm joining the party," he said.

Praising Yediyurappa and the leader's contribution in his political growth, Reddy said he is happy that he will be working in the party now with the veteran leader's son Vijayendra.

"I will work as a common party worker along with other leaders under the leadership of Vijayendra. I have not come with any conditions or expectations. Whatever responsibility the party gives me, I will honestly work.

"BJP was always there in my blood, but due to some reasons I had gone out, but today I feel I have come back to my mother's lap. Looking at my brothers here, I don't feel like I'm coming back to the BJP office after 13 years," he added.

Welcoming Reddy back into the party, Vijayendra said his joining will strengthen BJP in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

"Liking Narendra Modi's leadership and accepting BJP's ideology, Reddy has rejoined the party. Reddy has said that Karnataka should have a larger contribution in making Modi PM once again -- to ensure that BJP and JD(S) alliance win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he is merging his KRPP with BJP and is joining the party," he said.

Before the assembly polls last year, Reddy had been largely politically inactive for nearly 12 years since his arrest by the CBI for an alleged role in a mining scam. During this period, he had a brief stint ahead of the 2018 assembly polls when he campaigned for his close friend and former Minister B Sriramulu in Molakalmuru Assembly segment.

In the run up to the 2018 assembly polls, the then BJP national president Amit Shah, in response to a reporter's question, had distanced the party from him and stressed that "the BJP has nothing to do with Janardhana Reddy." Accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case, he has been out on bail since 2015. Several conditions were imposed by the top court in its order which includes prohibiting him from visiting Ballari in Karnataka and Ananthpur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

Because of these restrictions, he had to contest the 2023 Assembly polls from Gangavati in Koppal district.

Expressing his displeasure about the way BJP had ignored him, Reddy had announced a new party last year and also took a dig at his brothers -- Karunakara Reddy and Somashekar Reddy -- and Sriramulu, as they remained with the BJP.

The three of them had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls, with Reddy's new party said to have impacted their performance in the election.

Sriramulu, a ST community leader and former Minister is now the BJP's candidate from the Bellary (Ballari) Lok Sabha constituency.

Reddy had played an instrumental role in strengthening the BJP in the Ballari district and is still believed to enjoy a considerable clout there as well as in adjoining districts like Chitradurga, Koppal and Raichur, which could be useful for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by the CBI on September 5, 2011.

The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari in Karnataka and the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy first came to political limelight during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when he campaigned for BJP leader, the late Sushma Swaraj, who had contested against Congress' Sonia Gandhi from Ballari.

Former Congress Minister T John's son Thomas John also joined the BJP today.

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