Deanery News

Dec 26 : On Christmas Eve, ICYM Kokkada organized 'Nathalam Saanz' - a cultural extravaganza for parishioners in the St John the Baptist church premises on December 24, 2023.

The event was graced by the presence of Rev. Fr Jagadeesh Pinto, Parish Priest – St John the Baptist Church, Kokkada, Rev. Fr Henry D’Souza, Mr. Praveen Noel Monteiro, Vice President – Parish Council, Mrs. Veena Mascarenhas, Secretary – Parish Council, Mr. Jayanth D’Souza, Animator – ICYM Kokkada, Mr. Pradeep D'Souza, President – ICYM Kokkada, Ms. Sahana Mariya D’Souza, Secretary – ICYM Kokkada and Santa Claus.

The event commenced with a prayer dance performed by Ms. Priya Rishal Rego, followed by a welcoming speech by Mr. Pradeep D’Souza. The ceremony was inaugurated by the dignitaries present on the stage cutting the Christmas cake. The guest Fr. Henry D’Souza addressed the gathering and delivered the Christmas message to the parishioners.

Mr. Praveen Noel Monteiro presented medals to the winners of the Tug of War competition, which took place on Sports Day. In the female category, St Nithyadar ward secured first place, while St Lawrence ward came in second. For the male category, St Nithyadar ward won first place, and St John the Baptist ward secured second place. The YCS unit and Catholic sabha members distributed prizes for their respective competitions.

Mr. Johnson Galbao was honored with a memento as a token of appreciation for his unwavering support towards all the events organized by the ICYM Kokkada Unit. Additionally, Mr. Vincent Menezes was felicitated for his outstanding contribution in spreading the joy of Christmas as Santa Claus since 2000.

The championship trophies for Sports Day were distributed. St. Nithyadar Ward emerged as the champions, followed by St. John the Baptist Ward and Christ the King Ward as the first and second runners-up. St. Lawrence, St. Anthony, and Holy Cross Wards secured the 4th, 5th, and 6th places, respectively.

Rev. Fr Jagadeesh Pinto gave the presidential address, and Ms. Sahana Mariya D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks. Ms. Vanditha Lobo and Ms. Priyanka Gonsalves compered the program.

The event was followed by a cake auction by YCS members and a ‘Habbada Koli’ lucky draw, which was won by Vimala Puttur. Housey-housey was also conducted for the parishioners.

Cultural programs by all six wards followed, where parishioners showcased their talents through various dances, skits, and songs. The program was ended by a dance performance by ICYM members and baila dance.