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Relics of Saints Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz Visit To Saint Antony Parish, Alenquer
Wilson D'Souza, SVD
Fr. Tej Kumar, SVD, the acting Parish Priest, warmly welcomed the relics and took the lead in organizing their journey throughout the parish. His dedication and pastoral zeal helped ensure that this historic event reached the hearts of many.
The relics were officially welcomed on July 1st with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Tej Kumar, SVD, and concelebrated by Fr. João Batista, Fr. Marcelo, and Fr. Adolfo. The celebration marked the beginning of their pilgrimage across the parish, and was filled with prayer, song, and deep devotion as parishioners gathered to honor the presence of our beloved SVD saints.
Throughout the following days, the relics journeyed through various substations, bringing inspiration and blessings to many communities. Our parish is composed of 147 substations, and the faithful received this visit with profound reverence and gratitude.
A special highlight was the visit to the substation of São Manoel on July 6th, during the inaugural Mass of the “Fé e Vida” (Faith and Life) program. This celebration marked both a new beginning for the local church and a grace-filled encounter with our founding saints.
The Eucharistic celebration brought together representatives from 52 substations, witnessing the strength of our community’s faith and unity. The main celebrant was Fr. Jean Michel Randriambololona, SVD, joined by Fr. Wilson D’Souza, SVD as concelebrant.
The SVD lay partners (AVA) organized the entire visit of the relics, making it possible for the faithful to connect more deeply with the missionary zeal and spirituality of our SVD founders.
This was truly a blessed time for all parishioners — a time to reflect, to venerate, and to rediscover the spirituality of Saints Arnold and Joseph, whose missionary legacy continues to inspire us in our journey of faith and service.
