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Dear Members & Friends of the Mangalorean Catholic Association,
What an unforgettable day we shared together at our Annual Celebration of the Nativity of Our Lady – Monthi Festh! Celebrated by MCA on September 13th, 2025, at St. Mary Star of The Sea Catholic Church, Indian Head, MD, USA.
A feast so close to the heart of every Mangalorean across the world, and this year’s celebration was nothing short of extraordinary. We gathered as one community with love, faith and gratitude, remembering our roots, honoring our Heritage, and giving thanks to our blessed mother Mary for her protection, blessings, bountiful harvest and intercessions in our lives. Everyone who came to this celebration contributed to the joy and celebrated together and made this day shine brighter and kept our rich Mangalorean culture alive, vibrant, meaningful and a tradition worth experiencing. It was so special.
The day began with a graceful procession, led by Fr. Brian Coelho followed by a line up carrying infant Mother Mary by James Dante, carrying new corn (Novem) by Hazel Pinto, along with little children joyfully holding flower baskets and plates, as voices rose together in the beloved hymn Sakkad Sangatha Melya. At the Mother Mary grotto, each child reverently placed a flower at Infant Mary’s feet – a touching scene of devotion and innocence. Then came the blessing of the new corn (Novem) by Fr. Brian followed by showers of flowers paired with timeless hymn Moriyek Hogolsiya. Watching the little children shower flowers with pure joy and faith filled our hearts with hope and happiness.
The celebration then flowed into the Solemn Mass, presided by Fr. Brian Coelho and Fr. Tony D'souza at the beautifully adorned altar, vibrant with flowers and a true spirit of festivity. The liturgy came alive through the heartfelt participation of our children and members – Bible reading was reverently proclaimed by Reema Andrade, followed by responsorial psalm, which was melodiously rendered by Anitha Furtado. The choir played a pivotal role in the celebration, filling the liturgy with grandeur and devotion, and their heartfelt singing elevated the solemnity of the occasion making it spiritually auspicious. The Choir, under the spirited leadership of Malin and Clint with their dedicated efforts, commitment and coordination brought a mesmerizing and resounding festive joy and reverence. The choir included Clint, Malin, Evonne, Alina, Eben, Ethan, Jaden, Joshua, Prash and Anitha.
Altar boys Melson Martis and Dylan Lobo assisted at the altar.
Prayer of the faithful was read by Kiara, Jake, Jack, Hazel, Eben and Sarah,
Offertory prayers were read by Shanaya Fernandes.
Offertory Procession was graced by
Candles - Amelia and Ancilla
Sheaves - Dwayne
Flowers - Abner and Oliver
Fruits and Vegetables - Tiffany, Renita and Walter
Books - Rachel and Rosanne
Bat and Ball - Evon
Bread and wine - Neil, Jyothi and Noah
After the Mass, Vice President Neville D’Cunha delivered a meaningful and heartfelt vote of thanks wrapped with warmth, grace and humor, honoring every contribution with gratitude and appreciation, then as we moved out, a group photo was captured by designated photographer of the day Ivon Lobo to add to the cherished memories for the years to come.
Then the group was invited to the church hall, Treasurers Stephanie and Genevieve ensured a smooth flow at the registration desk. The festive atmosphere continued with white-and-blue décor that set the place for celebration. As we were seated, delicious, flavored and refreshing Novem milk prepared by Harold Dsouza was served as a welcoming drink which was satisfying and gave a nostalgic feeling right away.
President Flavie Rebello welcomed everyone with a heartfelt speech, expressing gratitude, appreciation, and excitement for the festivities ahead, while also remembering in prayer Merlyn, our secretary, for the loss of her brother-in-law. Our prayers and support remain with her family.
We then shared in the blessing of food by Fr. Brian – a banquet of sumptuous authentic and traditional Mangalorean Monthi Festh delicacies were lovingly prepared, spread and super generously served by our leading members Julia Dante and Prema along with association volunteers. It truly deserved an grateful appreciation for all those who cooked, donated vegetables, and all who pitched in both big and small ways to make the feast so abundant.
MCA Monthi Fest Cooks
Chone - Harold D'souza, Jessie/Celine D'souza, Flavie Rebello
Karam - Genevieve Albuquerque;
Bende - Valerian Cardoza, Clint Almeida
Pathrode- Prema D'souza
Rice - Anitha Furtado, Flavie Rebello, Elvina Castelino
Sambar - Jessie/Celine D'souza, Anne Albuquerque, Prema D'souza
Sannas - Julia Dante, Irene D'cunha
Vorn - Anil D’souza, Justina Monteiro, Julia Dante
The joy didn’t stop there! Clint’s Trivia had everyone laughing, thinking, and bonding over our shared heritage. The energy carried forward into a vibrant cultural program, bursting with talent, entertainment, and community spirit – the perfect way to crown the day’s celebrations.
Jake and Jack had stunning Violin performances, Hazel Pinto had an electrifying solo dance performance, Renita and Tiffany had a phenomenal Mother-daughter dance performance, then came rocking and incredible group dance performance by Clint, Clement, Brian, Ethan, Joshua, Jaden, Eben, Evonne and Noah, it was truly wonderful and a powerhouse performance !!! Next came up - a hilarious skit with skilled actors - James Dante, Julia Dante and Ivon Lobo. It was absolutely brilliant, a comedy treat spot on !!!. Then came little boy Noah Dcunha with a solo performance, his energy and hyped spirit attracted the crowd to dance along with him. Instantly Baila got added in and enthusiastic people stepped in to grove. The perfect Mangalorean Baila dance added so much cheer and fun!! Then came Little Abner who sang beautifully in his angelic cute little voice and innocent charm! Adorable!
And to wrap up this celebration, everyone gathered once more over steaming cups of chai, crispy samosas, and melt-in-your-mouth sheera – the perfect sweet ending to a festive day!
It was truly a sumptuous, tummy-filling celebration from start to finish – body, soul, and spirit all fed in abundance. The laughter and warmth at the tables said it all, as friends and families shared stories, enjoyed the last bites, and even packed up some leftovers to carry a little piece of Monthi Festh home. Everyone left with full hearts, full tummies, and big smiles – the very spirit of Monthi Festh loved and celebrated to the fullest.
A heartfelt thank you to each one of you who came, contributed to the joy and celebrated together and made this day shine brighter. Your presence kept our rich Mangalorean culture alive, vibrant, meaningful and a tradition worth experiencing. Truly each one of you made it so special !!
On behalf of MCA committee, I thank each one of you from the bottom of my heart – our vibrant and dedicated committee members for their tireless and selfless efforts and initiatives, clergy, volunteers, sponsors, choir, cultural performers, members and every attendee – for making this year’s Monthi Festh a true celebration of faith, culture, and a joyful community celebration. Together, we not only honored Our Lady but also celebrated our heritage and the unity that binds us as Mangaloreans.
Special gratitude to Julia Dante and James Dante, right from coordinating Fr. Brian and keeping the place booked in advance and continued support in all arrangements and communications to make this event possible,
Thank you, Neville, Vice president for all the wonderful support, help and assistance in everything with a cheerful smile; you and your Twin Neil team up to work selflessly and passionately behind the scenes which we gratefully acknowledge,
Big applause to Merlyn, Secretary who stayed on top of everything, thank you so much for the wonderful, meticulous and strategic planning, organizing and delegation. We sincerely appreciate your interest, guidance and dedication even in your difficult times.
Clement and Clint, you are the heart and soul of this association, grateful for all your enthusiasm and dedication you are highly appreciated, loved and gratefully looked upon for all that selfless hard work.
Harry and Daryl, thank you for your quiet presence with helpful and supportive gestures which means a lot.
Jessie/Celine, our sponsor of all the vegetables that were organically grown with tender care and love, thank for all your authentic delicacies that tasted so flavorful
Genevieve and Stephanie (Treasurers), you are amazing, all the finances are diligently taken care of with your smart approaches
Thank you Anitha, for all your support and being there to provide support and insights
Thank you Harold Naveen D'Souza for your generosity donating altar flowers in the Church, that was a thoughtful gesture we appreciate !
A heartfelt thank you to Santhosh Sequeira for graciously arranging the Novem—the new harvest. Your valuable contribution truly added festive significance and meaning to this monthi festh celebration.
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!
Here’s to cherishing these memories and carrying the joy and blessings of Monthi Festh into our lives until we meet again next year!
With gratitude and festive cheer,
Flavie Rebello,
President, The Mangalorean Catholic Association
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