Preparing for their Feast

Gowry the cow escaped and went for a little outing at the sea shore, as faithful worked to beautify their mission compound for their celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mission children play at Kakinada Bay.

"Morning 5:00 AM onwards we were searching for her," wrote Fr. Varghese, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Mission in Kakinada. "She was caught in a bush and was unable to come out... It was just near to the harbor."

With the mission pet caught and contained, preparations continued for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heat of Jesus, an important feast for the Kakinada mission bearing that name.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus takes shape
under skillful hands.

"The boys are active and the girls are creative, elders are pensive and the ladies are intensive, so things are going on well," wrote Fr. Varghese.

Faithful volunteered many hours to make the mission
beautiful for their feast.

Working with a tight mission budget, the faithful got creative with decorations, using draperies and hand-painted foam to brighten their hall and to prepare an outside location for the Mass.

On Saturday, missionary friend Fr. Baskhar travelled in from the jungle to help Fr. Varghese with confessions and final preparations.  

"I am just giving some guidelines for the celebrations," wrote Fr. Varghese, in the final hours before the celebration.

"Thank God the rain stopped, and I pray let the rain fall by again Monday (to cool off the climate)." 

A sign at the mission's road point.

Preparing for such an event draws faithful together.

The altar in the mission hall.

  

Infant Jesus inside the mission hall.

Special care turns a statue of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the
mission hall into a grotto.

Our Lady of Good Health.