GRAND ‘MONTI FEST’ CELEBRATION IN MUSCAT

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  Concelebrated High Mass in Konkanni by the Bishop of MangaloreWith four guest priests from his diocese
 
“Whatever I’ve done that is for your children and for their future” says Bishop during his Pastoral address ; Support for ‘Janavahini’ & ‘M.C.C. Bank’ urged 
At this time of the year, the scenic beauty of Konkan Coast is exotic and idyllic – lush paddy field laden with new corn, tracts of land with juicy sugar canes, green vegetables rich with vitamins & calories, colourful flowers, healthy cattle grazing on the grassy meadows. Yes, the green granary of Konkan is at its best. It is the harvest time ! Farmers celebrate dancing to the beat of drums, singing folk songs, rejoicing and feasting. 

The repercussions of this rejoicing was felt even on the other side of the Arabian sea, in the coastal Oman, Muscat – Ruwi. Though the flora & fauna, clime & culture of Oman is just the opposite of Konkan coast, on Monday, 10th September 2001, the sons and daughters of the Konkan soil, gathered in the parish church of Ruwi to celebrate the Nativity of our Lady as a harvest festival, fondly calling it as “Monti Fest”. 

The festival took off at 7.30 p.m. at the grotto with around 1,000 angelic faced tiny tots showering flowers to Infant Mary on her birthday to the full-throat chanting of traditional Konkani hymns by the crowd – ‘Sakkad Sangatha Melyan, Sakkad Lagin Soryan’ and ‘Moriyek Hogolsiyan’. Then there was the blessing of the new corn which was specially flown in from the fields of our Konkan homeland – an emotional and symbolic ceremony of the family feast. 

This was followed by a solemn High Mass in Konkanni. Rt.Rev.Dr.Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, was the main celebrant, with four more priests from the Mangalore Diocese co-celebrating with him. The co-celebrants were Fr.Faustin Lobo, C.O.D.P. Director; Fr.Vincent Monteiro, Parish Priest of Pangla; Fr.Vincent D’Souza. Parish Priest of Mudarangadi; and Fr.Pius D’Souza a biblical scholar doing his doctorate in Rome. In this alien land the priests celebrating the Mass in Konkanni, His Lordship, The Bishop, delivering the sermon in Konkanni, the little children reading out in Konkanni, the congregation praying in Konkanni and the choir melodiously singing in Konkanni must have taken even our Lady and inmates of heaven by surprise! The choir was superb conducted by veteran singers and composers Shri Apolinaris D’Souza and Shri Harry Rasquinha. 
   
After the Mass there was a felicitation address to His Lordship read by Shri.Oswald Soares, the ex-chairman of M.C.C.P. On behalf of the Mangalorean Community in Oman, a memento was jointly presented to His Lordship by Hon.Chairman of M.C.C.P. Shri.Stanley Fernandes & President of M.C.C.P. Shri.Henry Martis. This was followed by a vote of thanks by noted Konkanni writer Shri.Clarence, Kaikamba. Parish Priest Fr.Varghese Chempoly expressed his joy on the Bishop’s visit to Oman and gave a brief report on Mangalorean community’s involvement in the various activities of the parish. 
The brief felicitation programme concluded with a Bishop’s pastoral address, where he said ‘Whatever I’ve done, it is for your children and for their future.’ Also he urged his flock to render support to ‘Janavahini’ the Kannada daily newspaper and also to the only Catholic Bank ‘The M.C.C. Bank Ltd’. His Lordship thanked Mr.Stanley Fernandes for his help to make his visit possible. The felicitation programme was ably compered by Shri.Donald Pinto, the ex-president of M.C.C.P. 

There was a nostalgic upsurge of feelings among the crowd when the distribution of blessed corn, souvenir Holy picture of our Lady and sugarcanes were distributed soon after. Treats were also distributed to all the children. 
After all these religious ceremonies, a new harvest festival meal – “Novem” – was exquisitely arranged by the Executive Committee of Mangalorean Catholic Centre of the Parish (M.C.C.P.) lead by Hon.Chairman Shri.Stanley Fernandes & President Shri.Henry Martis. The lovely mouth watering vegetarian banquet with various dishes was served in typical Konkan style on a plantain leaf at the Ruwi Parish hall and outside at the basket ball court. The Bishop’s presence together with the guest priests at the ‘Novem’ meal added beauty to this festive occasion. 
After the sumptuous and delicious “Novem” meal, the people dispersed to their homes with nostalgic recollections of yesteryears and sweet memories of the “Monti fest” for the years ahead ! 
 
Report exclusively for ‘Daijidubai.com’ by Gerry D’Mello, Muscat.