April 19th 2025: The Easter celebration at St Lawrence Church & Shrine, Bondel commenced at 7:00 p.m. with the blessing of the new fire, officiated by Rev. Fr Peter Gonsalves, Principal of St Lawrence English Medium School. The solemn Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Rev. Fr Peter Gonsalves as the main celebrant. He was joined by concelebrants Rev. Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza -Parish Priest, Rev. Fr William D’Souza Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr Ravi Kumar MSIJ, Rev. Fr Pascal -Betharram, and Rev. Fr Theo Pinto.

The Easter Vigil consisted of four key parts: the Service of Light with the blessing of the Paschal Candle, the Liturgy of the Word, the Blessing of the New Holy Water and Baptismal Rites, followed by the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration.

Rev. Fr William D’Souza carried the lit Easter Candle to the altar, inviting the faithful to walk in the light of the Risen Christ. The congregation lit their candles, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness. Rev. Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza then sang the Exulted – the Easter Proclamation. Seven readings from Sacred Scripture offered a glimpse into the salvation history of Israel and humanity. As the Gloria filled the church, the image of the Risen Jesus was unveiled, uplifting the spirits of the faithful.

Rev. Fr Peter Gonsalves, in his homily, reflected on the profound mystery of the Resurrection, stating, “Two thousand years ago, Jesus died, yet He lives.” He highlighted the symbolic connection between the empty womb and the empty tomb, and emphasized that the transformation of the Apostles bears witness to Christ’s Resurrection. He urged the faithful to remember: (1) Christian life is the true religion, (2) Jesus is risen and will never die again, and (3) through His resurrection, we too share the hope of eternal life. He called upon all to follow Christ and be His true witnesses.

The baptismal water was then blessed by Rev. Fr Peter Gonsalves, and the congregation joyfully renewed their baptismal vows. The faithful participated enthusiastically in the entire ceremony, which was deeply spiritual and meaningful.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Rev. Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza extended Easter greetings to all parishioners and expressed heartfelt thanks to the Liturgy Committee, PPC members, choir, altar servers, and volunteers for their dedicated efforts in organizing the Holy Triduum. The parish choir added solemnity to the celebration with their melodious singing.

As the celebration came to an end, the faithful exchanged Easter greetings with one another and returned home carrying the peace and joy of the Risen Lord in their hearts.

The significance of the Easter celebration was highlighted by Mr Santhosh Misquith.

Photography: Anson Rego

Report: Meena Serrao Barboza