Mangalore Diocese News

Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 2 : The Annual Feast of Infant Jesus at Infant Jesus Shrine, Carmel Hill, Bikarnakatte-Mangaluru will be celebrated on Jan 14 and 15, 2025.

Festal Celebration:
The Festal Mass on January 14 at 6.00 pm will be presided over by Rt. Rev. Wilfred Gregory Moras, Bishop of Jhansi Diocese. A special Mass for children will be offered at 10.30 am which will be presided over by Most Rev. Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop Emeritus of Mangalore Diocese.

The Festal Mass on January 15 at 10.30 am will be presided over by Rt. Rev. Dr. Elias Frank, Bishop of Asansol and at 6.00 pm will be presided over by Most Rev. Rudolph D'Souza, Pioneer of Carmelite Missions in Canada.

There will be Masses all through the day too on January 14. Mass in Konkani will be celebrated at 6.00 am, 7.30 am in English, 9.00 am in Konkani and 1.00 am in Kannada. The inaugural Mass of the Annual Feast at 6:00 am on January 14, will be presided over by Rt. Rev Dr Henry D'Souza, Bishop of Bellary.

The Festal Mass on the Second day (January 15): 6.00 am, 7.30 am, 9.00 am in Konkani; 10.30 Mass for the Children and 1.00 pm in Malayalam (Latin Rite). Mass for the sick and the aged will be celebrated at 10.30 am in Konkani.

Children's Day: A special Mass will be offered for Children on January 11, Saturday at 6.00 pm.

Formal Inauguration

The formal inauguration of the festivity will be held on January 4, 2025 at 4.30 pm with the votive offering procession beginning at Holy Cross Church, Kulshekar- Mangaluru. It will be followed by an inter-religious meet and flag hoisting at the Shrine Campus.

Nine Days Novena in preparation for the Annual Feast
Nine days of Novena Prayers are held from January 5 to January 13 during which we have 9 Masses every day. Masses are as follows: In the morning at 6.00, 7.30, 9.00 and 10.30 in Konkani; At noon 1.00 pm in Konkani; In the evening at 4.00 in Malayalam, 5.00 in English and 7.30 in Kannada.

Procession of Infant Jesus will be held every day after the evening Mass at 7.15 am
Eucharistic Adoration will be conducted daily from 11.30 am to 12.45 pm.

Anna Santarpane("ಅನ್ನ ಸಂತರ್ಪಣೆ"), vegetarian meal will be served to the devotees on all the days of the novena and feast days at noon.

Blood Donation and Hair Donation Camp will be held on January 9 and 10 from 8.30 am to 1 pm.

Two Projects to Mark the Jubilee Year 2025 and the Centenary of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s Canonization.
To commemorate the Jubilee Year 2025, we are proud to launch the Infant Jesus Jubilee Housing Project. Through this initiative, a complete house will be constructed and gifted to a poor and deserving family, embodying the spirit of hope and service.
In honor of the centenary of the canonization of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, we will introduce the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Centenary Scholarship Project. Under this program, 100 scholarships will be awarded to deserving children, supporting their educational aspirations and celebrating the legacy of this remarkable saint.

Additionally, a special exhibition is planned to highlight the significance of Jubilee 2025 and to honor St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Carmelite saint from France who, despite her brief life of just 24 years, became a Doctor of the Church and the Patroness of Missions.

The details were revealed in Press meet held January 02, 2025 at 11.00am, Press Club, Mangaluru.

Present at the Press meet:
Fr Melvin D'Cunha OCD, Superior, St. Joseph’s Monastery
Fr Stifan Perera OCD, Director, Infant Jesus Shrine, Mangaluru
Fr Deep Fernandes, Delegate Provincial for the OCDS

For Contact: Fr Stifan Perera, Director, Infant Jesus Shrine, Mangaluru 9844503706.