“The only constant in life is change,” said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus, and referring to his words another Greek philosopher Plato said, “Heraclitus, I believe, says that all things pass and nothing stays; and comparing existing things to the flow of a river, he says you could not step twice into the same river.” Apt words to reflect upon as 2022 is relegated to history and a promising 2023 is ahead.
Yes, 2022 is behind us; we bid adieu to it with a mélange of memories – there were joys and there were sorrows. We celebrated births, birthdays, first holy communions, marriages, and wedding anniversaries; we also mourned the death of our loved ones.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
To thank God for His blessings and for holding their hand in tough times in the past year, the faithful of Guardian Angel Church gathered at the church on the New Year Eve. Rev. Fr Antony Shera, Secretary, Catholic Board of Education, led the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Eucharistic celebration
Rev. Fr Antony Shera concelebrated the Holy Eucharist. In his characteristic jovial yet thought-provoking style, quoting George Bernard Shaw, he said, “Now that we have learned to fly in the air like birds, swim under water like fish, we lack one thing – to learn to live on earth as human beings” and called upon the faithful to shun violence, and love and respect fellow human beings. In his homily sprinkled with everyday experiences, he focussed on three aspects: “Giving the blessing of God to others, and receiving the same from others”, “striving to bring peace in the world, by first bringing peace in our homes,” and “accepting Mary as our mother and internalising the greatest virtue manifested by her – empathy”.
Oath taking by the new Vice President and Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council
The end of 2022 also marked the end of the tenure of current Parish Pastoral Council. After the Eucharistic celebration, Mr. Noel Pinto, the outgoing Vice President of the PPC was honoured by Rev. Fr William Menezes, Parish Priest for his selfless service to the parish in the past three years. Subsequently, Mr. Paul Rodrigues, the new Vice President and Mrs. Lolina D’Souza, the new Secretary, took oath. They too were honoured by the Parish Priest.
Fun and frolic
It is natural to celebrate the arrival of something, and celebrating New Year is part of our culture. As the religious part of the New Year concluded, entertainment ensued.
The youth are full of energy and one cannot deny that this energy is expressed best in the form of dance. As people exchanged New Year greetings, the members of Angelore Youth Movement presented a flash mob, dancing to the beats of popular music. The gathering tapped their feet and shook their hips.
As the dance ended, the members of Stree Sanghatan were ready to entertain with Housie-Housie. The packed audience participated enthusiastically in the game. For a change, there was highest number of prizes in the game.
Curtains down on 2022
Then came the moment of pulling the curtains down on 2022. As the fun came to end, the parishioners left for their homes with unforgettable memories of the bygone year.
2022 is behind us; 2023 has embraced us with arms wide open, promising us the best it can give. Happy New Year to all.
