WELCOME TO MOUNT ST JOSEPH. CONNECTING JESUITS AND FRIENDS

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Visit to Anekal (Feast of St Paul the Hermit)

Our first year Novices along with the people of Anekal celebrated the feast of St Paul the Hermit. Yes, they were enriched by the devotion of the people to the Eucharist.

ASHWIN REBELLO: The feast of St Paul the Hermit is a time of celebration to the people of Anekal. The Saint was known for spending long hours in deep silent prayer. I felt that it was an inter-religious feast because people of other religions too were present to honour this Saint. The people shared their meal with one another. I was taken up by people’s faith and their sense of sharing. I was also inspired by the heart touching homily by Fr Roman Pinto. Overall, this was a pilgrim feast which enriched my life of faith and service.

ROCKY: This feast was an opportunity for me to know the Faith of the people. People from different places had gathered in big numbers to pray for themselves as well as their loved ones. The best part of the celebration was the Holy Eucharist in which Fr Roman Pinto gave a thought-provoking homily. He invited us to be persons of deep faith which makes us people of sharing and caring. On the whole, this feast energized me for a better life in the Novitiate.

NOEL: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst.” I felt these words of Jesus coming true on the solemn occasion of the feast of St Paul the Hermit. I was happy to see and experience the bond of unity among the people. Their devotion inspired me to admire the Saint. The fellowship meal that was arranged for all the devotees made me go beyond myself and reach out to other people. Yes, "To be a Religious today is to be inter-Religious”

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