A Spiritual Symphony: Celebrating at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine
On Saturday, July 13th, 2024, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, Benoni, South Africa joyously celebrated its feast day with a festival mass held at 17:00. The mass was presided over by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Dabula Anthony Mpako, the Archbishop of Pretoria. Concelebrating the mass were Rector Fr. Rayan Pais, along with community members Fr. Boniface D'Souza and Fr. John D'Souza. Deacons Keith, Neelan, Chris, and Denzil were also in attendance.

The theme for this year’s feast was "Symphony of Prayer," chosen in preparation for the upcoming jubilee year. In the days leading up to the feast, a five-day novena was held, featuring masses in Zulu, Portuguese, and English. The festival mass drew many devotees, reflecting their deep devotion and commitment.

During his sermon, the archbishop emphasized that prayer is about anchoring ourselves in God and fully surrendering to His will, much like a plug connecting to a socket. He stressed that in God, there is no load shedding, and prayer should be a lifelong commitment, not just a one-day activity.

At the conclusion of the mass, Fr. Rayan Pais, Superior and Rector of the shrine, shared a brief history of the shrine and read the decree of its declaration. He expressed his gratitude to everyone for their love and commitment to the shrine. Special thanks were extended to Fr. Boniface and the parishioners of Our Lady of Loreto in Kempton Park, and Fr. John and the parishioners of St. Joseph in Actonville for their support and presence.

The scapular was blessed and distributed to all attendees, symbolizing their dedication to Carmelite spirituality. The community also celebrated the 10th ordination anniversary of Fr. Rayan Pais, who has dedicated five years of service in India and five years in South Africa. The event was a beautiful testament to the faith and unity of the community, making it a memorable and spiritually enriching celebration.