With Theme ‘You Are The Salt of the Earth’ Urwa Our Lady of Pompei Shrine Feast to be celebrated on Sunday, December 9
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Fr Stany Pereira- Parish Priest of Our Lady of Pompei Shrine, Urwa -Mangaluru said, “With Theme ‘You Are The Salt of the Earth’ Urwa Our Lady of Pompei Shrine Feast will be celebrated on Sunday, 9 December 2018. The festal mass will be celebrated at 5.30 pm on that day by Bishop of Mangaluru Most Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, and will also preside over the function after the Mass. There will also be a religious procession right after the evening mass through the streets of Urwa”.
Fr Pereira further said, “The other programme on that day will be Masses at 7.00 am; 8.15 am and 10.15 am, especially for the sick. The theme for the Feast is “You Are The Salt of the Earth” which are the words of Jesus Christ from the Bible. Everyone is requested to take part in this celebration and make the Feast a grand and successful one”.
Fr Jason Loo- Assistant Parish Priest, Francis Saldanha- Former VP of the Parish Council, and Media in-charge and Kevin Martis- present VP of the Parish Council were present during the press meet.
SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF POMPEI, URWA, MANGALURU- a Brief History:
Mary (Maria), the Mother of Jesus Christ is affectionately called by different names, where Our Lady of Pompei is one of them. Pompei is a valley in Italy When people of that City were not living a life of character, Mary appeared to Mr Baretholo Longo, an advocate, and asked Him to pray for the people of Pompei. Very soon the lifestyle and character of people changed. This news spread to all over Italy, and since Mother Mary appeared in Pompei-Italy, therefore She is honored as Mother of Pompei/Our Lady of Pompei
Fr Stany Pereira- Parish Priest
In Urwa Parish, Rev Fr. A.J.D’Souza, who served as the parish priest from 1915 to 1930 was instrumental in introducing the devotion to Our Lady of Pompei. He brought a copy of this picture from Pompei and it was enshrined on a side altar. Thus Urwa became a place of pilgrimage to a large number of devotees from every nook and corner of Mangalore.
In 1995 Rev. Msgr.Fred Pereira, who himself was inspired by the devotion, took the lead with the help of the devotees and built a shrine to Our Lady of Pompei. Priests coming to the Parish from time to time have given an impetus to the devotion.
At present Rev Fr Stany Pereira is the Parish priest of Urwa parish. Trusting in the providential care of the Lord, the Pastoral, Administrative and Educational mission and Pompei Shrine and all other Apostolate of the parish are carried on with vigor with the good support of Fr Jason Lobo, the Asst. parish priest, Mr. Francis Saldanha, the Vice President, the secretary, Mrs. Lucy D’Souza, the Gurkars and the Parish council members and the Parishioners.
Hundreds of people belonging to different castes and religions visit the shrine every day to pour out their problems and petitions at the feet of Mother Mary. Countless people are witnesses to various favors received through the intercession of Our Lady of Pompei. Novena is held on every Wednesday with Mass at 5.30 p.m., during which special prayers are offered for the devotees and for the sick.
Every year on the second Sunday of December the feast of Our Lady of Pompei is celebrated at Urwa with devotion. On that day open air Mass is celebrated, followed by Eucharistic procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Thousands of devotees visit the shrine that day and take part in the liturgy. Fireworks are held to conclude the celebration of the feast. Thus the shrine has become a centre for the warmth and blessings of Our Lady of Pompei to all.