Mangaluru: A Jesuit priest has urged Catholic religious women and men to go beyond the confines of their congregations and take up common issues for the benefit of society.
“It is high time for us, the religious of different congregations, to come together and take up a few common social issues and work together in this world of polarization, isolation, fragmentation and segregation to become powerful witnessed for our Lord Jesus Christ,” says Father Dionysious Vaz, rector of St Aloysius College.
The Jesuit priest was the main speaker at a day of recollection on February 5 organized by the Mangaluru (formerly Mangalore) unit of Conference of Religious India (CRI) to celebrate the ‘World Day for consecrated life.”
Father Vaz addressed the group on “The challenges of consecrated life today.”
Around 600 members of various Catholic religious congregations in the southern Indian city spent the day at St Anne’s Friary, Capuchin Friars, Jail Road in personal prayer, reflection, confession and sharing.
Capuchin Father Melwyn D’Souza, president of the local CRI unit, in his welcome address, urged the gathering to become the salt of the earth and light of the world as people chosen by Christ. “All of us without exception should give to the world the taste and glimplse of who Jesus is,” he added.
Sister Colin D’Souza, a member of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary, led the opening prayer service.
Capuchin Father Darick D’Souza led the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharistic adoration.
Priests from St Anne’s Friary attended to confessions. Dominican Father Aquin Noronha, parish priest of St Dominic’s Church led the concelebrated Mass.