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August 23, 2026
Our Lady of Valenkani Ward Feast (Edmer)
Our Lady of Velankanni Feast – Edmer Ward 2026
The Edmer Ward Feast in honour of Our Lady of Velankanni was celebrated with great devotion, joy and fellowship on 23rd August 2026 at the residence of Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha. The celebration brought together the members of Edmer Ward in a spirit of faith, unity, gratitude and love, strengthening their bond as one ward family.
The programme commenced with a warm welcome by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha. The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza, Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues, Spiritual Director of Divya Daama and member of Assisi Nilaya Rev. Fr. Gerald Veigas, Pastoral Council Vice President CA Pritish Burton D’Sa, Secretary Mrs. Jyothi D’Souza, Deacon Shaun Savio Andrade, 20 Ayog Sanyojaki Mrs. Monika D’Souza, and Dharm Sabheso Mulyavo Samudai Sachethaki Mrs. Ancilla D’Souza were warmly welcomed by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha, Prathinidi Mrs. Brenda Noronha, and all the ward members.
The celebration began on a spiritual note with a prayer service conducted by the ward members. This was followed by a meaningful reflection on the day’s Scripture reading by Assistant Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues. As a beautiful expression of their devotion and gratitude, all the members offered flowers to the statue of Our Lady of Velankanni, seeking her maternal protection and blessings.
The Master of Ceremonies then highlighted the achievements and valuable services of CA Pritish Burton D’Sa, who was elected as the Secretary of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. Recognising this significant achievement, the members of Edmer Ward honoured him during the celebration.
Expressing his gratitude, CA Pritish Burton D’Sa thanked the ward members for the honour and conveyed his sincere appreciation for their love, encouragement and continued support.
Following this, Prathinidi Mrs. Brenda Noronha presented the Annual Ward Activity Report, highlighting the various spiritual, social and community-oriented activities undertaken by Edmeru Ward during the year. The report reflected the active participation and commitment of the ward members in building a vibrant and united Christian community.
Rev. Fr. Gerald Veigas Ofmcap, Spiritual Director of Divya Daama and member of Assisi Nilaya, addressed the gathering with an inspiring message. He appreciated the spirit of unity and fellowship among the members and blessed the ward community, invoking God’s grace and the protection of Our Lady of Velankanni upon all.
A special moment of the celebration was the felicitation of Melson Elvis Lobo, a young and talented achiever of the ward, who is pursuing his B.Com Professional Degree at St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru.
Melson’s achievements at the national level brought great pride to Edmer Ward. On 14th December 2025, he was elected as the YCS/YSM National Representative for the Karnataka Region. Later, on 29th May 2026, at the 20th National Council held at St. Joseph Engineering College, Mangalur, he was elected as the YCS/YSM National Treasurer.
His achievement and service at the national level were highly appreciated by the ward members. His journey was recognised as an inspiration and encouragement to the youth of Edmer Ward, reminding them of the importance of commitment, leadership and service.
Another memorable moment of the celebration was the felicitation of Mr. Thomas Mendonca and Mrs. Anjelline Mendonca, who completed 50 years of a fruitful and blessed married life.
On behalf of the ward, Mrs. Laveena Pradeep Barboza shared a few words about the couple and their beautiful journey of married life. Their Golden Jubilee was celebrated with great joy through the exchange of garlands and the cutting of the anniversary cake. The couple received the warm wishes, love and blessings of all the ward members as they celebrated this remarkable milestone of togetherness.
The ward members also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Parish Priest Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza, who has been a great source of inspiration, encouragement and support to the Edmeru Ward community. In appreciation of his pastoral guidance and constant support, the ward members honoured him during the celebration.
In his message, Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza appreciated the active participation, unity and enthusiasm of the ward members. He encouraged them to continue working together in faith and fellowship and invoked the blessings of Our Lady of Velankanni upon every family of the ward.
With the formal stage programme drawing to a close, the celebration continued with a meaningful and thought-provoking skit titled “Last Call”, presented by the members of Edmer Ward. The skit was written and directed by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha.
The skit portrayed the touching story of an elderly father who was left alone by his children following the death of his wife. Despite longing for the love, care and support of his children, he was neglected and eventually spent his final days in an old-age home.
In his final moments, he waited hopefully for a call from his children, but sadly, the call never came. The emotional presentation conveyed a powerful message to everyone about the responsibility of children towards their ageing parents. It reminded the audience of the importance of loving, respecting, caring for and standing by elderly parents, especially when they need the presence and support of their children the most.
The skit was deeply appreciated by the gathering and left everyone with a meaningful message to reflect upon.
The celebration continued on a lighter and joyful note with fun-filled games organised by the youth of the ward — Valsa, Verissa and Veneasa. Their enthusiastic efforts brought laughter, excitement and great participation from the members, adding further colour and joy to the feast celebration.
Mrs. Laveena Pradeep Barboza delivered the vote of thanks, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the priests, ward leaders, youth, performers and every member who contributed to making the celebration a memorable success.
The entire programme was beautifully compered by Mrs. Laveena Barboza, who guided the gathering through each segment with warmth, grace and enthusiasm.
The celebration concluded with a fellowship meal shared by all the ward members. The delicious food was lovingly prepared and contributed by the members themselves. Sharing the meal together created a beautiful atmosphere of friendship, togetherness and community spirit.
The Edmer Ward Feast 2026 was truly a celebration of faith, devotion, gratitude, achievement, family values and fellowship. From prayer and thanksgiving to honouring achievers, celebrating 50 years of married life, presenting a meaningful skit and enjoying fellowship together, every part of the programme reflected the strong bond among the members of Edmer Ward.
The celebration concluded with hearts filled with gratitude and cherished memories, renewing the commitment of the ward members to walk together in faith, love and unity under the loving protection and maternal care of Our Lady of Velankanni.
The Edmer Ward Feast in honour of Our Lady of Velankanni was celebrated with great devotion, joy and fellowship on 23rd August 2026 at the residence of Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha. The celebration brought together the members of Edmer Ward in a spirit of faith, unity, gratitude and love, strengthening their bond as one ward family.
The programme commenced with a warm welcome by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha. The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza, Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues, Spiritual Director of Divya Daama and member of Assisi Nilaya Rev. Fr. Gerald Veigas, Pastoral Council Vice President CA Pritish Burton D’Sa, Secretary Mrs. Jyothi D’Souza, Deacon Shaun Savio Andrade, 20 Ayog Sanyojaki Mrs. Monika D’Souza, and Dharm Sabheso Mulyavo Samudai Sachethaki Mrs. Ancilla D’Souza were warmly welcomed by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha, Prathinidi Mrs. Brenda Noronha, and all the ward members.
The celebration began on a spiritual note with a prayer service conducted by the ward members. This was followed by a meaningful reflection on the day’s Scripture reading by Assistant Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Stephen Rodrigues. As a beautiful expression of their devotion and gratitude, all the members offered flowers to the statue of Our Lady of Velankanni, seeking her maternal protection and blessings.
The Master of Ceremonies then highlighted the achievements and valuable services of CA Pritish Burton D’Sa, who was elected as the Secretary of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. Recognising this significant achievement, the members of Edmer Ward honoured him during the celebration.
Expressing his gratitude, CA Pritish Burton D’Sa thanked the ward members for the honour and conveyed his sincere appreciation for their love, encouragement and continued support.
Following this, Prathinidi Mrs. Brenda Noronha presented the Annual Ward Activity Report, highlighting the various spiritual, social and community-oriented activities undertaken by Edmeru Ward during the year. The report reflected the active participation and commitment of the ward members in building a vibrant and united Christian community.
Rev. Fr. Gerald Veigas Ofmcap, Spiritual Director of Divya Daama and member of Assisi Nilaya, addressed the gathering with an inspiring message. He appreciated the spirit of unity and fellowship among the members and blessed the ward community, invoking God’s grace and the protection of Our Lady of Velankanni upon all.
A special moment of the celebration was the felicitation of Melson Elvis Lobo, a young and talented achiever of the ward, who is pursuing his B.Com Professional Degree at St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru.
Melson’s achievements at the national level brought great pride to Edmer Ward. On 14th December 2025, he was elected as the YCS/YSM National Representative for the Karnataka Region. Later, on 29th May 2026, at the 20th National Council held at St. Joseph Engineering College, Mangalur, he was elected as the YCS/YSM National Treasurer.
His achievement and service at the national level were highly appreciated by the ward members. His journey was recognised as an inspiration and encouragement to the youth of Edmer Ward, reminding them of the importance of commitment, leadership and service.
Another memorable moment of the celebration was the felicitation of Mr. Thomas Mendonca and Mrs. Anjelline Mendonca, who completed 50 years of a fruitful and blessed married life.
On behalf of the ward, Mrs. Laveena Pradeep Barboza shared a few words about the couple and their beautiful journey of married life. Their Golden Jubilee was celebrated with great joy through the exchange of garlands and the cutting of the anniversary cake. The couple received the warm wishes, love and blessings of all the ward members as they celebrated this remarkable milestone of togetherness.
The ward members also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Parish Priest Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza, who has been a great source of inspiration, encouragement and support to the Edmeru Ward community. In appreciation of his pastoral guidance and constant support, the ward members honoured him during the celebration.
In his message, Rev. Fr. George Thomas D’Souza appreciated the active participation, unity and enthusiasm of the ward members. He encouraged them to continue working together in faith and fellowship and invoked the blessings of Our Lady of Velankanni upon every family of the ward.
With the formal stage programme drawing to a close, the celebration continued with a meaningful and thought-provoking skit titled “Last Call”, presented by the members of Edmer Ward. The skit was written and directed by Gurkar Mr. Valerian Noronha.
The skit portrayed the touching story of an elderly father who was left alone by his children following the death of his wife. Despite longing for the love, care and support of his children, he was neglected and eventually spent his final days in an old-age home.
In his final moments, he waited hopefully for a call from his children, but sadly, the call never came. The emotional presentation conveyed a powerful message to everyone about the responsibility of children towards their ageing parents. It reminded the audience of the importance of loving, respecting, caring for and standing by elderly parents, especially when they need the presence and support of their children the most.
The skit was deeply appreciated by the gathering and left everyone with a meaningful message to reflect upon.
The celebration continued on a lighter and joyful note with fun-filled games organised by the youth of the ward — Valsa, Verissa and Veneasa. Their enthusiastic efforts brought laughter, excitement and great participation from the members, adding further colour and joy to the feast celebration.
Mrs. Laveena Pradeep Barboza delivered the vote of thanks, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the priests, ward leaders, youth, performers and every member who contributed to making the celebration a memorable success.
The entire programme was beautifully compered by Mrs. Laveena Barboza, who guided the gathering through each segment with warmth, grace and enthusiasm.
The celebration concluded with a fellowship meal shared by all the ward members. The delicious food was lovingly prepared and contributed by the members themselves. Sharing the meal together created a beautiful atmosphere of friendship, togetherness and community spirit.
The Edmer Ward Feast 2026 was truly a celebration of faith, devotion, gratitude, achievement, family values and fellowship. From prayer and thanksgiving to honouring achievers, celebrating 50 years of married life, presenting a meaningful skit and enjoying fellowship together, every part of the programme reflected the strong bond among the members of Edmer Ward.
The celebration concluded with hearts filled with gratitude and cherished memories, renewing the commitment of the ward members to walk together in faith, love and unity under the loving protection and maternal care of Our Lady of Velankanni.
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