'Annual Feast of Infant Jesus 2024' to be held at Infant Jesus Shrine in Mangaluru on January 14, 15
Mangaluru: The Infant Jesus Shrine will celebrate the 'Annual Feast of Infant Jesus 2024' on January 14 and 15, at the shrine situated on Carmel Hill at Bikarnakatte in the city.
The press release issued by the shrine on Tuesday, said that the festivity will be formally inaugurated at Holy Cross Church, Kulshekarm on January 4 at 4:00 pm, with the votive offering procession beginning. The inaugural will be followed by an inter-religious meet and flag hoisting.
The Festal Mass on January 14 will be presided over by Rt Rev Oswald Joseph Lewis, who is Bishop Emeritus, Jaipur Diocese. A special mass will be offered for the welfare of the sick at 10:30 am and presided over by Most Rev. Alban D'Souza, Rector of St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Attur-Karkala. On January 15, the Festal Mass to be held at 10.30 am will be presided over by Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Serrao, Bishop of Shimoga and at 6.00 pm will be presided over by Most Rev. Archibald Gonsalves, the Vicar Provincial of the Karnataka Goa Carmelite Province.
Masses will also be held throughout the day on January 14. The mass in Konkani will be held at 6:00 am and 9:00 am, in English at 7:30 am and in Kannada at 1:00 am. The mass for the sick and the aged will be held in Konkani at 10:30 am, said the press release.
On the second day of the Feast on January 15, the Festal Mass will be at 6:00 am and 7:30 am, in Konkani at 9:00 am, the Mass for Children at 10:30 am and in Malayalam (Latin Rite) at 1:00 pm.
A special mass will also be offered for children on January 6 at 6:00 pm and will be presided over by Rt. Rev Ignatius D'Souza, Bishop of Bareilly.
The Infant Jesus Shrine will organize nine days of 'Novena Prayers' from January 5 to January 13, with nine masses being offered every day. The masses are scheduled to be held in the morning at 6.00, 7.30, 9.00 and 10.30 in Konkani; at noon 1.00 pm in Konkani; and in the evening at 4.00 in Malayalam, 5.00 in English and 7.30 in Kannada. The main mass at 6.00 pm will be celebrated in Konkani in the open air.
In addition, a 'Eucharistic Adoration' will be conducted daily from 11.30 am to 12.45 pm, said the press release. 'Anna Santarpane' vegetarian meal will be served to the devotees on all the days of the novena and feast days at noon.
The Shrine authorities also said that a blood donation camp will be held on January 11 and 12 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.
For further details, people may contact Fr Stifan Perera, Director, Infant Jesus Shrine, Mangaluru, on mobile phone number 9844503706.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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