Mangalore Diocese News

CT News

Mangaluru, June 12, 2018 : Most Rev Dr Bernard Moras the Emeritus Archbishop of Bangalore Archdiocese switched on the decorated altar of St Anthony at Milagres and celebrated the thanksgiving Holy Mass at 6 p.m. on 12th June as the Shrine completed 120 years. In his homily Archbishop Moras said that the seed of devotion planted by Msgr M.P. Colaco has grown far and wide beyond imagination.

The Shrine attracts people from all over India and even from abroad. Lot of people from around the globe have visited the Shrine during the past 120 years and have received innumerable favours through the powerful intercession of St Anthony. People irrespective of caste and creed have prayed to St Anthony and have received blessings from God through his intercession. Besides the devotion part hundreds of destitute have been looked after for decades under the Patronage of St Anthony at Jeppu. And they have been supported by the devotees of St Anthony. St Anthony through the generosity of his devotees takes care of the little ones of Jesus at Jeppu Ashram. Hence it is an apt occasion to thank God for the gift of St Anthony to the Universal Church and to Mangalore in particular, he said.

At the end of the Holy Mass the Archbishop was felicitated as he has served the Institutes from 1968 to 1970. The Archbishop then felicitated the former directors and Asst directors who had served the Institutes in the past.

Fr Onil D’Souza the director of the Institutes conducted the Novena. More than two thousand people participated in the devotion and celebration.

Brief history of St Anthony’s Ashram Jeppu

It was on June 12th 1898 Msgr. Michael Placid Colaco the then Asst Parish Priest of Milagres Church started Novena prayer to Saint Anthony. On the following day was the feast of Saint Anthony. A large number of people from around Mangalore gathered for the feast. Since then on every Tuesday Novena has been held in honour of Saint Anthony at the Shrine Altar at Milagres Church. People irrespective of caste and creed come to Saint Anthony in their need and he never sends them back empty handed. That is the strong belief of Saint Anthony’s devotees. The Saint is specially invoked when things are lost. It is believed that when things are lost and if Saint Anthony’s help is sought the lost things are found. It has been testified in number of cases by the devotees.

As the people received favours from the Saint the people in gratitude offered their mite in kind and cash. It was in turn distributed to the needy. Gradually houses were put up to house the destitute. In 1930 the land was purchased in court auction in which the present Ashram is situated. After purchasing the land houses were put up in the said land and the inmates were moved to the present location in 1936. The Institutes also fed hundred of hungry people every day during the World War-I when there was extreme poverty and people didn’t have enough food to eat. Rice was brought from Rangoon (Burma) to feed the hungry who used stand in long queue.

At present there are 400 destitute sheltered at the Ashram. All their needs are taken care free of cost. People irrespective of caste and creed are looked after here.