Mangaluru: It was a great day of celebration and rejoicing for the members of the Society of Divine Word in the city as they celebrated the Feast of St Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Society of Divine Word (SVD) at Divine Call Centre, Mulki.

The celebrations included a day of prayer from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm with solemn festive mass which was celebrated by Fr Anil Kiran Fernandes SVD, the programme coordinator of Divine Call Centre and concelebrated by several other priests of the centre and the deanery.

Fr Anil Fernandes SVD crowned his homily on the life of St Arnold, the founder of three missionary congregations: Society of the Divine word (SVD), Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP), and emphasized on how the saint had developed a deep personal relationship with God and the awareness of the needs of people far beyond the borders of his homeland and the ability to take up and follow through difficult tasks. He further spoke on how the saint became convinced of the need for the Good News of Jesus to be brought to the billions who had never heard it. The value of the printed word to motivate a deeper prayer life, the desire to participate in the mission life of the church, and the need for the people in his homeland to offer their lives for the broader mission of the Church was the vision of the founder.

He continued his homily by calling on the faithful to reflect on the Sunday’s Gospel theme, 'All for the greater glory of God' and explained that our very existence depends on God. We owe everything to God. All that we have comes from Him. There is nothing in us that we can boast about ourselves or we can take credit for! As the psalmist puts it, 'Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness' (Ps 115:1).

Many from the nearby parishes and from far and wide had gathered for the celebration. Fr Valerian Fernandes SVD, director of DCC Mulki, Fr Antony Lobo, the vicar Forane of newly formed Suratkal varado, Fr Mervin Noronha SVD, rector of Kirem Minor Seminary, Fr Salvadore Serrao SVD, Fr Naveen Rebello SVD, Fr Francis Xavier Gomes, the parish priest of Immaculate Conception Church, Mulki, Fr Evan Gomes SVD, Fr Francline Machado and the seminarians of SVD House Kirem were present on the occasion.

After the eucharistic celebration, there was the festive lunch for all the people who had come to participate. The day’s programme then continued by a well-attended adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with intercessory prayers and healing service by Fr Abraham D’Souza SVD. Many came forward with their testimonies.