Bishop and Priests Go on Pilgrimage to Holy Land

NEW DELHI, May 12, 2010, 15:55 Hrs (Asia News/ Nirmala Carvalho):

Karwar Bishop of Karwar Mgr. Derek Fernandes along with 65 diocesan priests are going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,13 to 21 May. The event is being described as an occasion for " repentance and renewal, conversion and prayer." The trip is organized by the bishop who raised money to cover expenses of participants. They plan to return to India on the eve of Pentecost.

"My hope - says the bishop - is that through this pilgrimage, we priests can become witnesses of our encounter with Christ and be able to continue our task of announcing the Gospel”.

The group will visit the places where Christianity was born. In February, the bishop had already visited the Holy Land, with a first group of 55 priests. "On the occasion of the Year for Priests I thought it would be useful for our priests to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, together with their brother priests," said Bishop Fernandes.

The pilgrimage which begins on the "Feast of Our Lady of Fatima ends on the eve of Pentecost." It begins with a penitential service at the ruins of the Synagogue at Korazimon 13th May, Mount of Beatitudes, where there will be a personal confession.

Then we will move to the Primacy of St Peter, on which rock Our Lord not only uttered those words by which the Primacy of St. Peter was established but also uttered those words which form the motto of Bishop Derek “Caste your net on the other side.”

The priests will be celebrating Mass on this rock on 14th May, which is also the birthday of Bishop Derek. On the 18 the group will participate in a prayer hour which will conclude with the renewal of priestly vows at the at the ‘Cenacle- the Upper Room, the place where Christ instituted the sacrament of Eucharist and the priesthood.