Janata Curfew: Mangaluru Bishop writes to Parish Priests to ring bells at 5 pm
Mangaluru: Mangaluru Diocese Bishop Rev Peter Paul Saldanha has written a letter to the parish priests, asking them to arrange the pealing of the bells in all the churches and chapels at 5 pm on Sunday.
“A great number of medical, nursing and paramedical personnel are offering their precious service to protect the people from the pandemic. Similarly, the airlines and emergency transport personnel also risk their lives to save the victims of the Corna virus. The Prime Minister has asked of us to stand in our balconies and doorsteps on Sunday at 5 pm and clap for five minutes to gratefully acknowledge their selfless services,” the Bishop stated in the letter.
“In our Catholic tradition, church bells are rung to invite people to divine services and also to announce the good or sad news. While it is possible at the individual level to applaud by clapping hands, at the institutional level, we can express it by ringing the bells. I invite all the parish priests to arrange the pealing of the bells in their respective churches and chapels at 5 pm on Sunday,” he stated.
“This will be a humble expression of our gratitude and great appreciation of these brave men and women who render their noble and selfless service in these moments of crisis. Of course, we do also appreciate and commend the dedicated services of all the government staff,” he said.
“It is our bounded duty to pray for all the people of the world, and especially offer special prayers for those who are sick and those who assist them. Let us not forget to intercede before God for those plans and execute the measures to eradicate the menace of the pandemic. Let us use this God-given opportunity to express the reality of the family as the ‘domestic Church,’ where we come together in faith, love, and prayer,” he said.
“Mangala Jyothi has already sent material to indicate the way we can organize prayer meetings within the family of sanctify the Lord’s Day. Let intense prayer rise before God to protect the whole humanity,” the Bishop added.
The Bishop in the letter stated that the Coronavirus crisis has brought a lot of sorrow, fear, and anxiety among the people of the whole world.
“Our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi has given a call to observed “Janata Curfew,” on March 22 from 7 am to 9 pm. This implies that we stay indoors during that time. Keeping in mind, I request that we cancel not only our public liturgical services, as it has been already instructed, but also all private services including the visits to the churches and Blessed Sacrament chapels,” his statement added.
Meanwhile Former Mayor of Mangaluru and President of DK District Muslim Okkuta has given a call to support the ‘Janata Curfew,’ and participate in the shutdown.
