Carmel day celebrated
Come December, and the shrine campus has multiple events and happenings of all sorts, and one among them is the Carmel Day, loved by its devoted audience who want to be there, rain or sun.

Carmel Day is a performance event staged by the community of Carmelites at the Infant Jesus Shrine, Bikarnakatte just to remind all that there is a solid community of 25 young men giving fishing touches to their 14 year long seminary formation to be Carmelite priest. They are full of creative ideas and proactive energy ready to express innovative ways to do their mission of being spiritual leaders and elders of the Christian community.

This year they did it with style on 13th Dec - 2014. Nothing could stop them. With a heavily over cast sky and all predictions forecast of widespread rain for the day the preparations were on full swing and all was ready on time at 6.00 pm to begin if the chief guest Mr. Ivan D’Souza the popular MLC the Chief guest. He did arrive just as the curtains were pulled open and Fr. Deep Fernandes put all on a hopeful diet for a feast for eyes, ears and above all the mind. Very Rev. Fr. Charles Serrao, OCD the Provincial Superior of the Carmelites was the presiding over the function and Mr. Elias Fernandes the renowned journalist and Proprietor of Four Winds Mass Communications was the guest of honour.

As the guests and audience were welcomed, Fr. Joe Tauro, OCD the Rector of the Shrine honored them in Bharat style Ponnade shawl and flower offering. In his welcoming words while highlighting the contribution to excellence in various fields like politics and media by Mr. Ivan and Mr. Elias he pin pointed at the deeply Christian and authentically honest ways of these two gentlemen of public standing to the laud applause of the audience in agreement.

In his speech Mr. Ivan emotionally affirmed his deep love to this place and the wonders Jesus has done in his life of climbing in public service. He recalled he made it a point to be here as soon as he was elected to the upper house. He solemnly affirmed that whatever he has entrusted to Jesus here in petition and faith was never rejected by Him.

The Konkani drama – Kin, Kin Kinkina written by Leopold Louis, translated by and directed by John M. Permannur. They staged with a spell bound audience glued to their chars was a expression of their theatrical abilities to articulate a theme that the prick of conscience, like the tingling of bells, that never dies however distant you might think you are between you and the crime that you have done, was master stroke.

The wonderful miracle however was that the climate was stupendous and there was not a drop of rain throughout the programme, proving beyond all doubt that prayer can do wonders also on Carmel Hill.