Malayali Celebration of St Thomas Feast Day
The fifth annual diocesan Malayali celebration of St Thomas Feast Day took place in English Martyrs Church, Fenham on July 3, 2011, with all its traditional fervour and colour.
The Bishop of Mandya diocese in India, Rt Rev George Njaralakatt, was the principal celebrant. The Mass was concelebrated by Fr Chris Jackson, Fr Joseph Puthenpurackal from Kerala, Fr Robert Sahayaraj, Fr Arockia Mariadass, Fr Jude Ogbuanu, Fr John Bukomba, Fr Kefa Nyakundi and Fr Saji Thottathil.
Preaching the Homily, Fr Chris Jackson said: “Having touched the wounds of Jesus, St Thomas’s belief took him on to the fast lane, where he overtook the other disciples and went as far as India to preach the good news; a faith which Indians celebrate today.”
After the Mass, a traditional procession took place around the church. Fr Jackson commented: “This is a great witness of faith”. Back inside the Church after the procession, St Thomas’s statue was venerated and all parishioners were given traditional roasted rice as a feast offering.
Another highlight of the day was the cultural programme which was presided over by Bishop Seamus Cunningham. After the lighting of the traditional lamp by the dignitaries present, a welcome dance was performed by the Newcastle Youth Group. In his address, Bishop Seamus extended an Irish welcome to the gathering and hailed the Indian community for making a great contribution to the diocese, and said he felt the young people especially would be inspired by it.
Later, Fr Joseph Puthenpurackal, who inaugurated the Catechism Class, handed over books to all the catechists.
Bishop Njaralakatt said: “We should be proud of the fact that our deep-rooted faith dates back to the times of St Thomas and that we should carry this tradition forward today.”
After the colourful programmes, a sumptuous dinner was served to the guests and the congregation.