Berhampur, Odisha: Odisha gears up for the centenary celebration of Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at Dantolingi, in the District of Ganjam. February 11, 2017 is very special for Odisha Church as it is preparing to have centenary celebration of Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at Dantoling, the remote parish, in the District of Ganjam, South Odisha.
There will be 9 days of Novena beginning from February 1, 2017 to February 9, 2017 with different themes assigned to 9 fathers for the smooth conduct of the programme. There will be class on catholic faith and mass by the Bishops on February 10, 2017. Most Rev. John Barwa, SVD Chairman of Odisha Catholic Bishops’ Council (OCBC) will preside over the centenary ceremony on February 11, 2017. The mass is scheduled to start at 10:15 AM said Fr. Sanjeeb Kumar Beero Parish Priest of Dantoling Parish.
“God loves everyone and communicates His love through the Blessed Mother,” said His Excellency Dr. S.C. Jamir in his message after request from Mgr. Sarat Chandra Nayak Bishop of Berhampur for the centenary celebration of the most popular Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at Dantolingi, in the District of Ganjam, Odisha. It has been a wonderful gift to the diocese. Celebrating 100 years of the Shrine is a great occasion for the believers and I am sure it continues to flourish as a true symbol of unity and peaceful coexistence added S. C. Jamir
Mr. Gabriel Behera and Mrs. Annamary Behera married in the year 1930. They had no child till 2 to 3 years. Having great faith in the Lord through intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes they visited the shrine, sought help from Our Lady of Lourdes constantly and regularly. God blessed them with a boy child after 23 years in the year 1953. The boy now is Mr. John Baptist Behera a retired school teacher. “It is through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes I am born, my mother with pride says to me,” said Mr. John Baptist from Dantoling, an ardent devotee of Mother Mary.
The Christian Community of Odisha, especially the Diocese of Berhampur is eagerly waiting and preparing for the concluding ceremony of the centenary celebration of the Marian Shrine at Dantolingi , in the District of Ganjam, to be held on 10th & 11th February 2017. The Shrine was established in 1917 by the French Missionaries, as a sign of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, Our Lord, after the people of the area, irrespective of their different faiths, believed that they were miraculously protected from the famine and pestilence, through her powerful intercession.
Over the past one hundred years, the shrine has developed massively and became famous all over Odisha and beyond, attracting lakhs of devotees every year, from all over India. For the people of the locality, the shrine has become a true symbol of unity and peaceful coexistence. It is believed that within 100 years of establishment of the shrine the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes towards the Bishops, Priests, religious nuns and people specially on late Fr. Vincent Maharana, Late Bishop Most Rev. Joseph Das of Berhampur, Fr. Anselom Biswal, Fr. Benjamin Behera SAB (Pallotines), Fr. Sushil Gauda, Bro. Manual Das, C.M and Most Rev. Aplinar Senapati, CM Bishop of Rayagada who are from Dantoling.
There are also Sr. Bernadetta Behera, DC, Sr. Nirmala Behera DC, Sr. Sukanti Behera, DC, Sr. Bharati Behera, SAB (St. Annes), Sr. Sasmita Behera, SAB, Sr. Puspalata Sahu, Holy Cross, Sr. Manjula Das, MC, Sr. Rosalin Gauda, MC and Sr. Subasini Behera, Bethanis who are from also from Dantoling. “After elevating Dantoling as parish in the year 1997 has 250 catholic families. The diocese of Berhampur and the parish try to provide better facility to the pilgrims said Fr. Sanjib Biro the parish priest,” pilgrims flock not only annually but on the Friday of every month for the retreat and recollection,” added Fr. Biro