Bangalore Archdiocese

Media Release
Photos : Stanly Bantwal

Mysuru, June 14 : The annual feast of St Antony church, Dornahalli here was celebrated with great devotion on Thursday , 13th June 2019.

The Pontifical festive mass was presided over by Most Rev. Dr . K. A. William, Bishop of Mysore. While preaching the sermon , he congratulated the devotees for showing their faith and gave a call to reconcile with God and others and to live a new life. By doing this one can become a saint and this should be our goal, he said. People should take saints as their role models. St Mother Theresa lived amongst us, she lived to make a difference in society . We should keep faith in god and try to bring change in society we live, advised bishop.

Later he made a remark and said it is not the saint who perform the miracle but through Saint God works wonders, so we must pray to God through saints and when we receive favors, we must thank God, bishop said.

Rev Fr Anthony Peter , Rector , Shrine of Our Lday of Good Health, Harihara inaugurated the novena and hoisted the flag.

Rev. Dr. Bernard Prakash Barnis, Rev. Fr JSandyago . Rev Fr E Anthonyraj, Rev Fr Partrick Johanas. Most Rev Dr. Thomas A Vazhapilly - Emeritus Bishop of Mysore Diocese, Most Rev Dr. Peter Machado - Archbishop of Bangalore, Most Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Swamy , Bishop of Chikmagalur were celebrants of novena mass.

Most Rev. Dr. K. A. William - Bishop of Mysore, Rev Dr. M. Vincent, Most Rev. Dr. Lawrence Mukkuzhy , Bishop of Belthangadi were main celebrants of the feast mass.

Fr Vijay Johanas , Fr A . Wilfred , Sisters of different congregation s, Brothers of different congregations , priests from the diocese of Mysuru and other dioceses were present.

Rev Dr Arogya Swamy , the Rector of the shrine thanked everyone who made the celebration a memorable one.

During the day from morning 5 till evening, there were Eucharistic celebrations. At the end of the day there was car procession and benediction.

A Brief history of the Shrine of Dornahalli :

Dornahalli is a small village located about 33 km from Mysuru City Station on arsikere line and 38 km on Mysuru Hassan route. This is supposed to be the most ancient place of pilgrimage of India.

The miraculous Statue of St Antony Of Padua has an authentic history covering a period of 200 years. A humble Hindu peasant while plouging his ragi field , came across a wooden statue and by thinking that it is a doll he gave it to his children to play.

The tradition says that the peasant had a dream and he was told that the object is not a mere doll as he thought but a statue of a revered worker and that he would like to have a special shrine in his honor in that place of discovery and by doing so, he and his family would be blessed.

But the ryot turned a deaf ear to this admonition and continued to be played with this doll. In the course he lost bullocks and death took place. The ryot later recognizing his mistake met a priest and he discovered that it is the statue of St Antony of Padua about 13 and half inches height and without hands. The priest urged the ryot to continue the instructions received and thereafter he received blessings and prospered.

People from all over India flock and receive favours through the intercessions of St Antony.