It was indeed a joyful moment for us the members of Christ the Bread of Life, Sri Lanka to rally around and celebrate the Perpetual Profession of Bro. Emilio Mossa, SSS who is from Mozambique, the Province of St. Peter Julian Eymard.
The celebration was held on November 1st, 2022 at St. Thomas’ Church, Matale, Sri Lanka. Fr. Aruna, SSS, the Parish Priest, along with Fr. Marcus, the Provincial Treasurer and Fr. Sagara, SSS, the Scholastic Director and the scholastics looked into all the arrangements of the day.
Bro. Emilio was one of the first international students to reach Sri Lanka in 2017 for his theological and initial formation. After having completed his Theological studies at the Blessed Sacrament Scholasticate, Kandy, he was sent to Goa, India from July-Oct, 2022, to join the other perpetualists – four from the Indian province and one from UK-Ire province – to follow the IP4-2022, thanks to Fr. Peter Jayakanthan, SSS, the Provincial Superior, India and Fr. Peter Fernandez, SSS the coordinator of IP4 for organizing the program so beautifully and meaningfully.
At the end of the program, Bro. Emilio, SSS returned to Sri Lanka and with a week of Eymardian Retreat conducted by Fr. Manuel, SSS, he made his perpetual profession, in the presence of Rev. Fr. Justin Chawkan, the Provincial Superior, Sri Lanka and the other SSS from many communities of Sri Lanka. Fr Justin during his homily highlighted on the importance of one’s gift of self in consecrated life as inspired by the beatitudes of the Gospel.
Since it was also the solemnity of All Saints, it doubled our joy to be thankful to God for the Christian call received through baptism and then for the deepening of that call through consecrated life in order to be ‘saints’ in the Church.
It was also a very joyful event for us, the Blessed Sacrament Community at Matale and the parishioners of St. Thomas’ Church to witness to such a wonderful celebration of the Perpetual Profession of Bro. Emilio, SSS. As he leaves our shores, we say ‘good-bye’ to him and we await his coming to us in the near future too.
Father Melraj Revel, SSS
Co-Pastor at Matale
