Sacred Heart Parish Celebrates:

The Canonization of Sr. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu

Sunday, 12^th October 2008

At Sr. Alphonsa’s beatification in 1986, Pope John Paul II said: “For Sr. Alphonsa, the path to holiness was the way of the cross, the way of sickness and suffering”.

On 12^th October 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared a simple Franciscan Clarist nun from Kerala – India, as a saint:

Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception.

This is a truly remarkable milestone in the history of the 2000 plus year old church in India.

The Malayalam Catholic Community of Sacred Heart Parish - Kingdom of Bahrain, observed the Canonization occasion with due devotional and festive events at the parish level. Celebrations were spread out over three days – 10^th, 11^th & 12^th October 2008.

Friday, 10^th October 2008:

· The celebrations were launched by the Parish Priest Fr. Thomas Quadros with a brief reflection on the very ordinary life of Sr. Alphonsa that culminated in sainthood. He reminded the parishioners that we are all called to become saints, and encouraged us to keep Sr. Alphonsa’s life that was lived in total submission to God’s will as a role model.

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· An English skit highlighting the important events in the life of Blessed Sr. Alphonsa of India was staged for the parish community on the Outdoor Stage.

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· The statue of Sr. Alphonsa was then blessed by the Parish Priest Fr. Thomas Quadros and led into the Church by Fr. Joy Menachery in a grand procession followed by the first day of the 3- day Novena and Holy Mass.

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Saturday, 11^th October 2008:

· The evening’s events commenced with the Novena to Blessed Sr. Alphonsa and veneration of her relic.

· This was followed by the viewing of a documentary film in Malayalam titled: The Life of Sr. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu at the Bishop Tirinanzi Auditorium.

Sunday, 12^th October 2008:

· The celebration of a Solemn High Mass in Malayalam was followed by the final day of the Novena to St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, and the veneration of the relic.

· Refreshments were then served to the congregation.

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In seeking to live in total obedience to The Will of God,

Sr. Alphonsa attained sainthood. Her own words reveal her attitude to chronic suffering and ill health: “God has intended my life to be an oblation, a sacrifice of suffering”.