Udupi: The annual feast of St Lawrence Shrine, Karkala Attur will be celebrated from January 24 to 28 sad Fr George D’Souza Rector of the Shrine.
Fr George addressing the mediapersons at the press Club on Friday January 22 said that The Celebrations will begin on Sunday January 24 with the Confraternity Sunday Holy Eucharist at 7:30 am which will culminate with the Eucharistic Procession. On the same day two special masses will be offered for the intention of the tiny children at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.
On Monday 25 January two special masses will be offered for the sick and the elderly at 10:00 am and 3:30 pm. A special prayer will be offered for the healing and comforting of the sick and the elderly. On that day vehicles will be permitted very close to the church to enable the elders to participate in the special mass without any hurdles.
About 48 Holy masses will be offered during the five day festival. Apart from Konakni there will be mass in Kannada, English and Malayalam too. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi, Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza Bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Eugeen Joseph Bishop Varanasi, Dr Henry D’Souza Bishop of Bellary and Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhy, Bishop of Beltangady will be present and will offer the prime mass.
Fr George also said that for the safety and security of the devotees and pilgrims we have installed 48 CCTV cameras and will be installing 24 more cameras at the festival arena. More space has been provided at the shrine venue for the free movement and comfort of the devotees. The shrine has better facilities for the devotees to fulfil their spiritual obligations like offering Masses, intentions, lighting of candles, confessions for the Catholics etc.
The Sacrament of confession for the Catholics would be administrated on the western side of the shrine in the newly constructed block. The old church will be available only for quiet personal prayers and meditations.
On the eastern side of the church there will be a big space for those who would be offering their prayers, petitions and all kinds of offerings. The holy water and flower (Thirtha and Pushpa Prasada) will be given there itself. Clean and hygienic drinking water is available at three places around the shrine.
Around 40 toilets/Washrooms are available on the left side of the main entrance to the shrine. There will be separate toilets for the differently abled and senior citizens. For law and order and for the safety and security of the pilgrims there will be a host of police personnel monitoring the shrine arena 24×7. Apart from the regular police personnel, the Reserve Police team and bomb diffusing squad will also be stationed.
Under Vinay Kumar Sorake district minister in-charge and Gopal Bhandary former MLA Karkla, all roads have been re-constructed for the convenience of the devotees. Ample space is been created for parking the vehicles of devotees. The Home guards will monitor the parking area. To avoid traffic jam on Kabettu route, the route has been reorganised. Vehicles will exit via Pulkeria-Doopadakatte so that those who come to the shrine, come at ease and park their vehicles closer to the shrine. Those who come via Doopadakatte will park their vehicles on the left of the Dwara near Doopadakatte and on the left and right side before Garden House. Those who come via Kabettu, parking space is arranged near Prasad tailor junction, on the High School ground arrangements have been made for two wheeler parking.
Begging is strictly prohibited in and around the shrine. The contribution given by the devotees for charity will be distributed to all the needy on 29 January at 12 noon along with lunch.
Information about the Shine, Masses, facilities, instructions to the devotees will be broadcast through public address system which will cover a radius of 3 K.m.
PROJECTS OF THE SHRINE:
· 2 Six-Storey Buildings have been planned for the board and lodging of the pilgrims who visit the Shrine throughout the year. Facilities for Residential Retreats will be provided to the pilgrims.
· After the Novena to St Lawrence, held every Thursday throughout the year, free meals are served to the devotees. Your kind assistance is solicited to continue the project.
· Providing suitable accommodation to the Priests who come to offer various kinds of service in the Shrine during the Annual Feast, the Shrine Office and Stall.
A FEW SUGGESTIONS:
· Please maintain the Shrine Campus clean. Waste Bins may please be used for the purpose.
· The Shrine Campus has been kept clean and green. Please protect the grass and plants.
· C. C. Cameras have been installed in strategic locations in the Shrine Campus for the safety and security of the pilgrims. However, you are advised to take care of your gold, money and valuables.
· Do take care of children and the aged. Please ask them to meet at the particular location should they be lost per chance. Please keep the slips of your Mobile Numbers in their pockets.
· Alcoholic beverages have been strictly forbidden in the Shrine Campus and around. Should you find anyone selling them, kindly inform the Enquiry Centre.
· Should you require Police Assistance at any time, kindly visit the Police Outpost set up for the purpose to the left of your entry by the front gate.
· Kindly cooperate in maintaining devotion and discipline in the Church and the Shrine Campus.
· You are specially requested to keep your Mobiles in the Switch-Off Mode inside the church.
· Please take your bags along with you when you go for Confessions, Communion or to be prayed over.
The Stalls in the Shrine Campus:
1. Religious articles, religious literature, rosaries, scapulars, statues, holy oil, etc. are available in the Official Stall of the Shrine.
2. Candles’ Stall of the Shrine.
3. The Udupi Diocesan Stall – Here you may subscribe for ‘Uzvaad’ Fortnightly, the Diocesan Konkani Bulletin.
4. Various types of religious literature is available in the Mangalore Diocesan Mangala Jyothi Stall.
5. You may also subscribe to Raknno, Sevak, Daivik Amrith and Noman Ballok Raya here.
6. A bird’s eye-view of Attur Shrine and a CD of Holy Mass are available here.
7. Udupi Diocesan ‘Divya Jyothi’ Stall and Mangalore Diocesan ‘Mangala Jyothi’ Stall.
8. Stall of Religious Papers.
9. Nitte Health Centre – as medical service centre.
10. MESCOM Service.
11. Fire Brigade.
12. Inquiry Counter .
13. Communications Media centre.
Fr. Denis D’Sa PRO of Udupi Diocese, John D’Silva former vice president of the Shrine were present in the press meet.